April 12,2008:
An Algerian Christian, who had converted while living in Britain, was
given a two year suspended sentence for taking part in missionary activities in
Algeria. In most Moslem countries, Islamic conservatives demand police action
against any Moslem who converts to another religion, and punishment of any non-Moslems
involved. In many Moslem countries, there are laws prohibiting such
conversions. Moslems consider it their right, and duty, to convert others, but
deem it illegal for anyone to try and convert them. This has long been a source
of friction between Moslems and non-Moslems. The Algerian government supports
these prohibitions in order to deny Islamic conservatives an issue. The
government has, so far, prevented the Islamic radicals from gaining any
traction, and is willing to sacrifice good relations with local Christians to
assist the counter-terror effort..
April 11,
2008: Three car bombs went off in the capital, killing two dozen and wounding
nearly 200. One of the bombs was apparently an attempt to kill the prime
minister, who has been effective in developing and directing counter-terrorism
programs. About a hundred kilometers east of the capital, police killed two
Islamic terrorists. Meanwhile, 55 kilometers east of the capital, police
arrested six terrorists, and seized explosives and weapons.
April 10,
2008: In Morocco, police closing in on four Islamic terrorists, saw three of
them die by setting off explosives. One policeman died in the explosion.
Another terrorist survived the blast and was shot dead after he drew a sword
and came at the police. Documents collected at the scene provided lead to a
search for ten more Islamic terrorists.
In Mauritania,
police arrested an al Qaeda leader, who was trying to escape dressed as a
woman. The arrested man, Maarouf Ould Hadib, was believed the leader of a gang
that killed four French tourists last December.
April 9,
2008: Some 55 kilometers east of the capital, police intercepted a group of
Islamic terrorists on their way to attack a construction site. Two policemen
were killed and two wounded.
April 7,
2008: Another kidnapper deadline passed yesterday, as the Austrian government
refused to deal for two Austrians held by Islamic terrorists in Tunisia. The
kidnappers had demanded $8 million, plus several Islamic terrorists freed from
jail. The new terms demand that Austria withdraw the four Austrian soldiers
serving in Afghanistan, and free two Islamic terrorists jailed in Austria. The
two captives are believed held in Mali.
April 5,
2008: A roadside bomb, on a rural route in the mountains 55 kilometers east of
the capital, went off and killed a soldier, and wounded three others. There are
many roads in these parts, making it easy for terrorists to find places to
place these bombs, because any patrols will have to come by.
March 31,
2008: Interrogations of captured terrorists revealed yet another plan to kill prime
minister Abdelaziz Belkhadem. Several such plots have been uncovered in the
past year, indicating the high priority such an operations has for al Qaeda,
and the constant losses being taken by al Qaeda in Algeria by counter-terror
operations.