Algeria: Al Qaeda Loses Critical Popularity Contest

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August 3, 2007: There were 58 terror related deaths in July, compared to 25 in June. So far this year, Islamic terrorist activity has left 265 dead. During the 1990s, this was a typical weekly death toll. Most of the dead have been terrorists, who have tried to stage a number of attacks after joining al Qaeda earlier this year. The terrorist efforts failed largely because most Algerians are hostile to Islamic terrorism, no matter what it's called. Tips from civilians are constantly leading police to terrorist hideouts.

July 31, 2007: It's been revealed that last month, a prominent Algerian Islamic terror leader, Benmessaoud Abdul Qader, surrendered. He reported that there were major divisions in the terrorist leadership. Many Algerian Islamic radicals did not want to declare themselves part of al Qaeda. Qader surrendered, in part, to avoid assassination by his fellow Islamic terrorists. Death is the usual fate of dissidents in Algerian Islamic terror organizations.

July 30, 2007: Police caught and killed terrorist leader Sid Ali Rachid, and his deputy, east of the capital. Rachid was the planner for the April bombings that killed 33, and the July 11 bombing at an army base, that killed ten. Rachid was located because of tips from local civilians. This is a common problem for the terrorists, who are widely hated for their bloodthirsty ways.

July 27, 2007: Police caught up with sixty Islamic terrorists who had attacked two police stations, east of the capital, on July 14th. At least 22 terrorists were killed, and many weapons, documents, and much cash, was recovered.

July 26, 2007: Southwest of the capital, troops and police began searching for a group of a hundred or so Islamic terrorists, who are reported seeking to attack a road building project, and kidnap foreigners associated with that undertaking.