The NEFA Foundation – Documents

Documents – North Africa[1/19/10]AQIM Issues Demands for the Release of French Hostage
Al-Qaida’s network in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) announced that it was giving “France and Mali a period of 20 days that begins with the publishing date of this statement, to respond to our legitimate demand, and at the end of the period both governments will be fully responsible for the life of the French hostage”, Pierre Camatte, who was seized from a Mali hotel in November. AQIM demanded “the release of our four prisoners who were detained by the government of Mali numerous months ago.”[12/18/09]AQIM Claims Responsibility for Taking French and Spanish Hostages
The NEFA Foundation has obtained a communiqué from Al-Qaida’s network in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) claiming responsibility for taking a French businessman and three Spanish aid workers hostage. According to the statement, “With the grace of Allah, two groups of heroic mujahideen were able to kidnap four Europeans during two separate operations: The First One: In Mali on 11/25/2009, and resulted with the kidnapping of the Frenchman Pierre Camatte. The Second One: In Mauritania on 11/29/2009, and resulted with the kidnapping of three Spaniards; they are Albert Vilalta—CEO of Tunnel Del Cadi company for Construction and Infrastructure—and Roque Pascual, and Alicia Gamez. And, the mujahideen went back to their bases safely, and they pronounced that the hostage are in good health and are being treated with accordance to the Islamic Sharia. On the other side, later on Allah-willing, we will communicate to France and Spain with the mujahideen’s legitimate demands.”[10/19/09]AQIM Mourns Pakistani Taliban Commander Baitullah Mehsud
The NEFA Foundation has obtained a new communiqué from Al-Qaida’s network in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) mourning the death of Pakistani Taliban commander Baitullah Mehsud in a U.S. air strike. According to the statement, Mehsud was “graced…with martyrdom at the hands of the ruthless power and the most tyrannical country in the world; not in a battle where men meet face-to-face, but in a cowardly raid operation using a jet, and how shameful that this jet was without a pilot.” AQIM added, “our enemies should know that every time they [kill] a commander from our commanders or a master from our masters, they only provide us with fuel that will…[push] our movement forward on the path of Jihad seeking victory or martyrdom until the banner of unification is above all banners…and our Sheikh Usama rises above their fool Obama.”[10/15/09]AQIM Establishes Andalus Wing
The NEFA Foundation has obtained a new communiqué from Al-Qaida’s network in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) announcing the founding of a specialized media wing known as the “Andalus Foundation.” According to the statement, “due to our belief that the battle of pen is no less important than the battle of the sword, and in continuation of our development of jihadi media, despite the many tribulations and hardships of imposed by war, we bring the good news to our beloved Muslim nation, and we announce to the public the establishment of a new media foundation, which we have named, ‘The Andalus Foundation for Media Production.’ And, this establishment will become, with the help of Allah, the only official party to publish all the media productions that are created by your brothers in the media committee of Al-Qaida’s network in the Islamic Maghreb.”[8/21/09]AQIM Offers “Consolation and Condolences” to Nigerian Islamists
The NEFA Foundation has obtained a new statement from Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) in which the group offers “consolation and condolences” to Nigerian Muslims in response to the swift Nigerian government crackdown on the nascent “Boko Haram” movement. According to the statement, “we followed with broken hearts the events of the massacre which befell our relatives and brothers in Nigeria over the past days — this barbaric crime and ugly revenge which was perpetrated against the rights of approximately 800 Muslims by wrecking their mosques, bombing their hospital, and tearing down their houses. The spiteful Christian army of Nigeria has been maiming and murdering Muslims well within eyesight and earshot of the world that is so proud of its human rights and its values of freedom and fake justice.” The AQIM further warned, “the blood of Shaykh Mohamed Yusuf and his brothers won’t go away just like that. By the will of Allah, it will serve as a lantern to light the path for Muslims in Nigeria and as an inferno that will burn the cross worshippers and water the tree of Islam.” [8/19/09]AQIM Claims Bombing at French Embassy in Mauritania
The NEFA Foundation has obtained and translated a new statement from Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) claiming responsibility for an August 8 suicide bombing attack on the French embassy in the Mauritanian capital Nouakchott. The communique identified the bomber as “Abu Obaidah Musa al-Basri”, a local from a suburb of Nouakchott who first joined Al-Qaida in December 2008. According to the document, “he strapped himself with an explosive belt to attack one of the crusader dens, the French Embassy in Nouakchott. By the grace of Allah, he was able to reach the target–however, there were barriers that prevented him from entering the building, thus he detonated himself by the gate of the embassy targeting the French military guards.”[7/23/09]AQIM: “We Are At Your Disposal, O’ Abu Yahya Al-Liby”
The NEFA Foundation has obtained and translated a new audiotape from Abu Anas Al-Shanqiti of Al-Qaida’s Committee in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM). In this speech, Al-Shanqiti stated that AQIM’s “swords will not be put down until they purify the Islamic Maghreb from the atrocities of the impure apostates and their grudge-filled crusader masters and their mediocre man-made laws. If they [mujahideen] achieve that, their Jihad will not just stop there, but we are initiating the race with our mujahideen brothers in East and West of Earth: in Afghanistan, Pakistan, the Caucuses, Iraq, Indonesia, Palestine, the Arabian Peninsula and Somalia; we initiate the race with them to see who can first make prayer in the White House.” Al-Shanqiti’s message appears to be in direct response to a June 25, 2009 Al-Qaida video featuring Shaykh Abu Yahya al-Liby entitled, “Algeria; Between the Sacrifice of Fathers and Loyalty of Children.” In the video, al-Liby sent “a greeting of love, kindness, honor, brotherhood, loyalty and support to the Muslim Algerian people and its pure selected people in al-Qa’eda Organization in the Islamic Maghreb, and atop them the mujahid sheikh our brother Abu Musab Abdulwadud.” He added, “O Muslim people of Algeria, your period of sacrifice is recent, and many of the wounds of that era are still bleeding, and is it possible for a deep wound the blood remained flowing in its depth for more than one hundred and thirty years to become forgotten or erased? No!”[7/21/09]AQIM Claims Attack on Malian Troops
The NEFA Foundation has obtained a new communiqué from Al-Qaida’s Committee in the Islamic Maghreb claiming responsibility for killing twenty eight Malian troops and kidnapping another three during an attack on a military convoy in northern Mali on July 4th. According to the statement, “A fierce battle was waged. Almighty Allah helped his Mujahidin servants crush the military convoy and kill 28 troops. It is very likely that among them was their commander, the senior officer Hama Walad Muhammad Yahya. In addition to that, three soldiers were captured; four cars and several weapons, among them a Dushka, were taken as loot.”[7/18/09]LIFG Faction Breaks with AQ; Historical LIFG Statements re: AQ/Taliban Relationship
Historical LIFG Statements re: AQ/Taliban RelationshipThe NEFA Foundation has obtained and translated a communiqué from current and former members of the Libyan Islamic Islamic Fighting Group (LIFG)-Britain, in which this faction of the LIFG announced its split with Al-Qaida. The faction criticized Al-Qaida for “wrongful practices like random bombings, destroying private and public property, and targeting civilians” and announced its support for “the current dialogue between the group’s [LIFG] leadership and the Libyan regime.” The NEFA Foundation has also obtained and translated several communiqués previously issued by the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group (LIFG) which shed light on the group’s historical relationship with Al-Qaida and the Taliban. In the wake of both the 1998 East Africa Embassy Bombings and the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the LIFG leadership issued statements supporting their fellow mujahideen “brothers” and condemning the United States and its allies. Following punitive U.S. missile strikes on Sudan and Afghanistan for the August 1998 Al-Qaida bombings in Kenya and Tanzania, the LIFG issued an official communiqué condemning “these barbaric strikes” and “announcing its support for Muslims in Sudan and Afghanistan… Simultaneously, we would also like to present some facts to the Islamic nation, in order to prove that America is not only the enemy of the Mujahid Shaykh Usama Bin Laden and Islamist movements, but rather the enemy of the entire Islamic nation… The Libyan Islamic Fighting Group calls upon Muslims to confront this American aggression in order to give the proper response to this bellicose attack against the people of this Islamic nation.” Likewise, in reaction to the American invasion of Afghanistan in October 2001, the LIFG released a fatwah from Shaykh Hassan Qaid ruling that, “by declaring war against the Muslims and occupying their countries, the United States of America has made its interests all across the world into legitimate targets for the mujahideen. They should bomb and demolish them with any means available. Those interests include military, economic, social, embassies, cultural centers, tourists, or any individuals in any place upon earth.” For more information on the LIFG, see NEFA Senior Investigator Evan Kohlmann’s dossier.[7/02/09]AQIM Threatens Attacks on France over Veil Controversy
The NEFA Foundation has obtained a new communique from Al-Qaida’s Committee in the Islamic Maghreb threatening to carry out terrorist attacks against France in revenge for the recent decision by the French government to ban the niqab (a full body veil worn by some conservative Muslim women). According to the statement, titled “France: the Mother of All Evils,” “the mujahideen in the land of the Islamic Maghreb have sworn an oath to Allah, not to keep silent in the face of this provocative repression, and we will avenge the honor of our sisters and daughters, targeting France and its interests in every way we can, in every place we can and at every time we can, until France abandons its tactics of repression and insolence.”[6/29/09]AQIM Claims Responsibility for Killing American Christopher Leggett
The NEFA Foundation has obtained and translated a new statement from Al-Qaida’s Committee in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) claiming responsibility for the killing of American Christopher Leggett in Mauritania. According to AQIM, “the organization’s brigades in Mauritania—on the morning of Tuesday 23rd of Jumada ath-Thaneya, 1430 Hijra at Eight o’clock in Nouakchott, Mauritania, attacked the American ‘Eljj (Non-Arab), known for his Christianization activities, Christopher Leggett, and with the grace of Allah we were able to assassinate him; killing him and purifying the land of Mauritanian from his crime.” AQIM also addressed President Obama, saying, “Your presidency has begun with ugly crimes against the Muslims, and a scandalous bias towards the invasive Jews, and you have not yet learnt from the policies of your former idiot [president] Bush, so await that what will harm you.”[6/3/09]AQIM Announces the Killing of British Hostage Edwen Dyer
The NEFA Foundation has obtained and translated a new communiqué from Al-Qaida’s Committee in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) announcing the killing of British hostage Edwen Dyer. AQIM said that on “5/31/2009, at Seven-Thirty in the evening local time, the British hostage was killed so he can taste, and along with him the British Country tastes a very small portion of what the innocent Muslims taste daily on the hands of the Crusader-Jewish alliance in East and West of the world.“ In March 2009, AQIM gave the British government 20 days to release Abu Qatadato secure Dyer’s freedom. Two months later, AQIM offeredthe British government a 15 day extension before it must release Abu Qatada. [5/22/09]AQIM Offers 15 Day Extension for Release of Abu Qatada; British Hostage Held
In February 2009, the NEFA Foundation published a communiqué from Al-Qaida’s Committee in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) claiming responsibility for the kidnapping of U.N. special envoy for Niger Robert Fowler, his Canadian aide Louis Guay, and four European tourists. According to the statement, Fowler and Guay were kidnapped three months ago, while the European tourists — identified as Edwen Dyer (England), Marianne Petzold (Germany), Werner Greiner (Switzerland) and Gabriella Burco Greiner (Switzerland) — were seized on January 22nd. In March 2009, Fowler, Guay, Petzold, and Grabriella Burco Greiner were released, but AQIM gave the British government 20 days to release Abu Qatadato secure Dyer’s freedom. The NEFA Foundation has obtained a new communiquéin which AQIM has offered the British government a 15 day extension before it must release Abu Qatada. [4/30/09]AQIM Demands Release of Abu Qatada in Exchange for British Hostage
In February 2009, the NEFA Foundation published a communiqué from Al-Qaida’s Committee in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) claiming responsibility for the kidnapping of U.N. special envoy for Niger Robert Fowler, his Canadian aide Louis Guay, and four European tourists. According to the statement, Fowler and Guay were kidnapped two months ago, while the European tourists — identified as Edwen Dyer (England), Marianne Petzold (Germany), Werner Greiner (Switzerland) and Gabriella Burco Greiner (Switzerland) — were seized on January 22nd. While Fowler, Guay, Petzold, and Grabriella Burco Greiner were recently released, the NEFA Foundation has obtained a new communiquéin which AQIM has given the British government 20 days to release Abu Qatadato secure Dyer’s freedom. According to the Special Immigration Appeals Commission, Abu Qatada “has given encouragement to the commission, preparation and instigation of terrorism overseas by providing spiritual and religous advice to a number of extreme Islamists prepared to carry out terrorist attacks…These groups and networks include the Al Qa’eda network, the Armed Islamic Group (GIA), the Salafist Group for Call and Combat (GSPC), and the Egyptian Islamic Jihad (EIJ).”[2/22/09]AQIM Claims Kidnapping of U.N. Envoy & Four European Tourists
The NEFA Foundation has obtained a new communiqué, dated February 18, from Al-Qaida’s Committee in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) claiming responsibility for the kidnapping of U.N. special envoy for Niger Robert Fowler, his Canadian aide Louis Guay, and four European tourists. According to the statement, Fowler and Guay were kidnapped two months ago, while the European tourists — identified as Edwen Dyer (England), Marianne Petzold (Germany), Werner Greiner (Switzerland) and Gabriella Burco Greiner (Switzerland) — were seized on January 22nd. The statement added that “the mujahideen reserve their right in treating the prisoners in accordance with Islamic Shari’a.”[2/16/09]AQIM Denies Surrender of Commander Abou Tamim Amine
The NEFA Foundation has obtained and translated a new communiqué, dated February 3, denying reports of the surrender of Abou Tamim Amine (a.k.a. “Ben Touati Ali”).  According to the statement, “following the… imprisonment of Brother Amine-the commander of the al-Ansar Brigade, may Allah protect him-last week while traveling en route to a jihadi mission, several news agencies mentioned the news, and they cited two stories. The first story, the accurate one, included the phrase ‘the capture of.’ But, the other false story is the one that certain media agencies, directed by the intelligence agencies, rushed to report-alleging that Brother Amine had surrendered to the apostates, and that he had served as their agent for a long while. From this, a bigger lie was extracted, built upon the first lie: namely, that our organization has been infiltrated from top down… Accordingly, we strongly deny the news of the surrender of Brother Amine, the commander of the al-Ansar Brigade (central zone)-may may Allah free him from his shackles-and we confirm that our brother was captured last week while in the midst of a jihadi mission. We ask Allah to ease his hardship, and allow us to liberate our prisoners from the Algerian Guantanamo.”[2/5/09]AQIM’s Abu Musab Abdel Wadoud Calls for Terror Strikes in Vengeance for Gaza
The NEFA Foundation has obtained and translated a new audio recording (dated January 13) of the top commander from Al-Qaida’s Committee in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), Abu Musab Abdel Wadoud, titled, “Gaza – Between the Hammer of the Jews and Crusaders, and the Nail of the Apostates.” Abdel Wadoud condemned the recent Israeli invasion of Gaza and insisted that Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika is just as responsible for the plight of Gaza as the much-maligned Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak: “[the one] who has laid siege to Gaza and set his dogs, with their iron bars, upon the Egyptian people seeking to rescue their brothers, isn’t any more deceitful or shameless than the one who is preventing Muslims in Algeria from conducting peaceful protests… That person is Bouteflika, beloved by the Jews… That is Bouteflika and his generals, who appointed a Jew as an advisor in their damned government.” The AQIM commander demanded that Algerian soldiers and policemen abandon their support for Bouteflika’s government: “when will you stop directing your weapons and the bombs of your aircraft against your own people? At what point? Aren’t you mortified by the thought of Allah [knowing about] the bombing runs of your aircrafts across Jijel, Boumerdas, and Tizi Ouzou over our heads, synchronized with the Israeli bombings targeting our brothers in Gaza?” Abu Musab Abdel Wadoud further called upon faithful Muslims across North Africa to launch terror strikes on “Jewish”, “crusader”, and “apostate” targets in vengeance for Israeli attacks on Gaza: “I call upon you to begin campaigns of destruction that will not end until the injustice against your brothers comes to a halt, putting pressure on this silent, treacherous regime… in particular, our brothers and beloved ones in Mauritania, the people of steadfastness and jihad. And so, I say to them, today is your day to support your brothers, [because] purifying Mauritania of the Israeli flag raised aloft in its skies, shooting the Jews, and closing their embassy is [our] duty… The peaceful demonstrations aren’t sufficient anymore for Mauritania to respond to the voice of truth and honesty. The permanence of this relationship [between Mauritania and Israel] and its continual presence is not merely a sin against you alone, but it is also [a sin] against Islam and all its faithful… I call upon you to wage jihad, and attack the Western interests, everywhere… And to those in the Islamic Maghreb at large… lend your hands to the mujahideen, and coordinate with them in destroying Jewish and crusader interests in our regions without mercy or remorse. Carefully choose your targets, and provide your brothers with the intelligence. Plan quietly, rely on secrecy and silence, depend solely upon Allah, and do not seek anyone’s permission to destroy the killers of prophets and the cross-worshippers who are allied together in order to demolish us mercilessly and remorselessly.”
[1/28/09]AQIM Denies Alleged Germ Warfare Experiment Gone Wrong
The NEFA Foundation has obtained and translated a new communique from Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) denying recent reports that a group of Al-Qaida fighters perished in Algeria after mistakenly contracting fatal doses of the plague during a biological warfare experiment gone wrong. According to the statement, “on January 6, 2009, several journalists wrote reports, based upon information they had received from their bosses in the Algerian intelligence bureaus, about dozens of mujahideen who died from contracting the plague. According to their claims, this disease was spread throughout the ranks of Al-Qaida organization and that it will soon cause the collapse of this organization! …We wanted to announce that there was no truth to these rumors… We don’t know anything about this so-called plague, because it never happened-other than perhaps in the minds and hearts of those collaborators who falsely carry the title of ‘journalists.’ We announce to our Islamic nation that the purpose of falsified reports such as these is to frighten young men away from joining the jihad and to become weapons on the battlefields… The real plague that threatens our nation’s existence is this apostate group of treacherous rulers who have allied themselves with the Jews and the Christians in order to destroy Gaza, to sell out Palestine, and to trample over our beliefs, honor, and sacred possessions.”
[10/14/08]AQIM Claims “Battle of Zerouate” in Mauritania
The NEFA Foundation has obtained and translated a new statement from Al-Qaida’s Committee in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) claiming responsibility for a September 14, 2008 attack on a local military convoy in the Mauritanian region of Zerouate. According to the statement, “this attack was carried out to avenge the oppressed prisoners in the Mauritanian jails… This battle has been executed as a clear message to the governing military regime: your sins against the nation in general and against the Muslim youth in particular will not pass without punishment.” The AQIM also cautioned its supporters concerning false communiqués broadcast by various news agencies, naming the “Al-Fajr Media Center” as the only authorized, legitimate source for official statements from the group.[9/20/08]AQIM Condemns Mauritania Coup, Claims Suicide Bombings
The NEFA Foundation has obtained and translated two new statements from Al-Qaida’s Committee in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) condemning the recent military coup in Mauritania and claiming responsibility for a series of suicide bombings and other attacks targeting the Algerian army, police, and foreign workers. In a statement dated August 11, the AQIM criticized the Mauritanian government, among others, for “oppressing their own people” and scoffed, “it is likely that those behind the recent military coup in Mauritania would not have dared to do what they did, had they not already received the approval of the infidel nations of America, France, and Israel.” In a second communique dated August 21, the AQIM announced its role in leading a “Revenge Battle for the Group of Martyrs in Tizi Ouzou.” According to the statement, a group of AQIM suicide bombers of Algerian and Mauritanian nationality were responsible for recent attacks targeting Algerian police academies, a coast guard barracks, and a civilian bus believed to be carrying Canadian contract workers. The group strongly denied charges from Algeria’s Interior Ministry that it had targeting innocent civilians, insisting, “we will never grow complacent or tired of repeating our assurance to you that we pick our targets with precision and are so careful [of spilling] your blood. We do not target innocents… It is the mujahideen who are the ones who really care for the blood of Muslims—so does it make any sense that a martyrdom seeker would go and kill his own brothers and family?”[6/17/08]AQIM Claims Bomb Attacks on French Contractors in Algeria
The NEFA Foundation has obtained and translated a new communiqué from Al-Qaida’s Committee in the Islamic Maghreb claiming responsibility for several recent terrorist attacks in Algeria, including a June 8 bombing near the Beni Amrane train station which killed a French contractor working for the Razel corporation. According to the statement, “following much preparation and careful observation, the mujahideen decided to target the French delegation, despite the heavy security blanket provided by their apostate servants.” The AQIM also claimed responsibility for another recent operation of note – a twin suicide bombing attack on June 4 targeting an Algerian army outpost in Burj Kaifan. In the statement, the group explained, “After following up, making preparations, and observing it over the space of four months, the mujahideen discovered two vulnerabilities. First, the overcrowding of its main gate at closing time each Wednesday evening as the men were inspected upon leaving through the gate. The second was the gathering of these apostates at a café nearby to the barracks… Consequently, the mujahideen decided to attack these two vulnerable points with a pair of martyrdom operations.” The AQIM also directed a final message to “the crusaders and their servants from among the apostates”: “we are coming, by the will of Allah, so start digging your own graves.”[6/10/08]AQIM Promises Revenge for Attack on Muslim Woman in Morocco
The NEFA Foundation has obtained and translated a statement dated June 4 from Shaykh Abu Musab Abdel Wadoud, the top commander of Al-Qaida’s Committee in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), titled, “Here We Come, O’ Sister!” In his statement, Wadoud swore revenge on the governments of North Africa for a violent confrontation between local security forces and a Muslim woman in Morocco. According to Wadoud, “We have witnessed images published on several jihadi Internet websites which appear to show a deviant apostate trampling over a pure sister, along with her child, with his shoes… O’ Muslim youth of the Islamic Maghreb: we call upon you to take up arms, to prepare steeds of war, and to join hands with the mujahideen in order to cleanse the Islamic Maghreb from the stooges of the Jews and Christians who are stealing our wealth and spilling our blood. And as for those of you who are unable to reach the fronts of jihad and make preparations [for battle], you should not wait for anyone’s permission to target the Jews, the Christians, and the apostates in your own regions—for they are the cause of our pain and disasters.”
[4/10/08]AQIM Disavows Responsibility for Lives of Austrian Hostages
The NEFA Foundation has obtained and translated an April 7, 2008 communiqué issued by “the Al-Qaida Network in the Islamic Maghreb” (formerly known as the Salafist Group for Prayer and Combat, GSPC) complaining that “for the third time, the deadline of the ultimatum given to Austria by the mujahideen over its civilian hostages has expired, but Austria continues to act recklessly with a total lack of respect for the lives of its kidnapped civilians.” According to the statement, the AQIM is now offering to exchange the lives of the two Austrian hostages for the release of two Muslim residents of Vienna prosecuted for distributing jihad propaganda on the Internet—and the immediate withdrawal of a token Austrian military delegation from international peacekeeping duties in Afghanistan.[3/18/08]AQIM Offers Deadline Extension on Austrian Hostages
The NEFA Foundation has obtained and translated a March 17, 2008 communiqué issued by “the Al-Qaida Network in the Islamic Maghreb” (formerly known as the Salafist Group for Prayer and Combat, GSPC) granting Austria an extension to respond to their conditions for the release of two Austrian hostages. The statement declares, “Following the expiration of the three-day period given to the state of Austria to resolve the issue of the two kidnapped tourists–and after we accepted the request of the negotiating delegation–we wish to inform the public that the mujahideen have decided to grant Austria an additional week-long extension, starting last night at midnight. This is the final chance offered by the mujahideen (to the Austrians) to keep a clean conscience in dealing with the two families of the kidnapped persons and the Austrian people.”[3/18/08] AQIM Issues Terms for the Release of Two Austrian Tourists in Tunisia
The NEFA Foundation has obtained and translated a March 13, 2008 communiqué issued by “the Al-Qaida Network in the Islamic Maghreb” (formerly known as the Salafist Group for Prayer and Combat, GSPC) establishing terms for the release of two Austrian tourists in Tunisia. The communiqué, which also includes pictures of the hostages inside and outside Tunisian terroritory, states, “We  are announcing in this declaration the terms of the mujahideen to the Austrian government for freeing the Austrian tourists ‘Wolfgang Ebner’ and ‘Andrea Kloiber.’The mujahideen demand the release of some of our prisoners who were captured in Tunis and Algeria in return for freeing the two hostages.”[3/13/08] AQIM Claims Kidnapping of Two Austrian Tourists in Tunisia
The NEFA Foundation has obtained and translated a March 10, 2008 communiqué issued by “the Al-Qaida Network in the Islamic Maghreb” (formerly known as the Salafist Group for Prayer and Combat, GSPC) claiming credit for the alleged kidnapping of two Austrian tourists in Tunisia. According to the statement, “We direct a message to the Western tourists who flow in waves to the country of Tunisia, seeking to enjoy themselves while our brothers in Gaza are simultaneously being slaughtered by the Jews with help from the Western world… The hands of the mujahideen can reach you wherever you are in the country of Tunisia, so study this lesson carefully.”[2/09/08] AQIM Responds to “Martyrdom” of Commander Abu al-Laith al-Liby 
The NEFA Foundation has obtained and translated a February 3, 2008 communiqué issued by “the Al-Qaida Network in the Islamic Maghreb” (formerly known as the Salafist Group for Prayer and Combat, GSPC) responding to the reported martyrdom of senior Al-Qaida military commander Abu al-Laith al-Liby during a U.S. air strike in northern Pakistan.  According to the statement, “Abu al-Laith left Libya, escaping with his religion and emigrating to Allah, and his star shone bright in the skies of Afghanistan. He truly became one of the lions of Islam and a hero—so much so that the mere mention of his name causes the Americans to tremble… Indeed, he was cut from the same cloth as Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, may Allah have mercy on him. Thus, it is not a surprise for us to learn that there was a great friendship and admiration between these two men—they loved each other for their shared missionary work in the cause of Allah, and their jihad in the cause of Allah… There is no doubt that the death of Abu al-Laith al-Liby has saddened the Muslim faithful and has inspired delight in the hearts of their enemies. But… do they not realize that his blood, or the blood of any of our martyrs, is merely added fuel for the convoy of Islam?”[2/09/08] AQIM Claims Attack on the Israeli Embassy in Mauritania 
The NEFA Foundation has obtained and translated a February 2, 2008 communiqué issued by “the Al-Qaida Network in the Islamic Maghreb” (formerly known as the Salafist Group for Prayer and Combat, GSPC) claiming responsibility for an attack on the Israeli embassy in the Mauritanian capital of Nouakchott.  According to the statement, “The mujahideen took the embassy by surprise by firing their weapons and setting off explosives, and they managed—thanks to Allah—to cause an undetermined number of casualties among the Jews and their guards. The Mauritanian government has kept silent about that number, and has only acknowledged that three French nationals were wounded.  This attack has come at a time during which the wretched Jews are treating our brothers in Palestine unjustly, with an oppressive siege, tyranny, torture, murder, expulsion, and images that cause our hearts to break… By Allah, [we will trade] blood for blood and destruction for destruction..”[2/09/08] AQIM Claims “The Battle of the Martyr Abdelkader Abu al-Baraa” 
The NEFA Foundation has obtained and translated a January 29, 2008 communiqué issued by “the Al-Qaida Network in the Islamic Maghreb” (formerly known as the Salafist Group for Prayer and Combat, GSPC) claiming responsibility for a massive suicide truck bombing targeting the headquarters of the Algerian judicial police in the city of Al-Thaniya.  According to the statement, “the brave martyr Hamza Abu Abdelrahman from the town of Lakatah… embarked on his mission… at 6:30 in the morning, driving his truck—packed with no less than 650 kilograms of explosives… The claims of our enemies that the mujahideen are targeting innocent Muslims are fraudulent lies, for those who died today are all from the apostate police.”[1/03/08] AQIM Claims Suicide Bombing at Police Station 
The NEFA Foundation has obtained and translated the latest communiqué issued by “the Al-Qaida Network in the Islamic Maghreb” (formerly known as the Salafist Group for Prayer and Combat, GSPC) claiming responsibility for yesterday’s suicide bombing attack on a police station in An-Naciria, approximately 75 miles east of Algiers. According to the statement, “a lion from Al-Qaida’s Network in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), the martyr Abdullah al-Chayani, set forth on his mission carrying no less than 500kg of explosives aiming to attack the apostate den working against the jihad…O’ you, those who have abandoned our religion and your masters: you should expect the arrival of groups of those who long for martyrdom, and they will greet you with the scent of death.”[12/30/07]Statement from the AQIM on “Victories in Algeria and Mauritania”
The NEFA Foundation has obtained and translated the latest communiqué issued by the “Al-Qaida Network in the Islamic Maghreb” (formerly known as the Salafist Group for Prayer and Combat, GSPC) claiming responsibility for recent terrorist attacks in Algeria and neighboring Mauritania. According to the statement, “This operation has come at a time when the Israeli flag was seen raised in the beloved, but tarnished city of Nouakchott…at a time when the Mauritanian regime has consumed itself with supporting the crusaders, arresting young Muslim men, spreading hunger among its people — and all while guarding its lords…and fighting against the jihad and the mujahideen…We inform the slaves of America and France to be prepared for more horrific events coming their way.” [12/12/07]AQIM on “The Battle of the Martyr Sufyan Abu Haydara”
The NEFA Foundation has obtained and translated a communiqué issued by “the Al-Qaida Network in the Islamic Maghreb” (formerly known as the Salafist Group for Prayer and Combat, GSPC) claiming responsibility for yesterday’s twin suicide car bombings in the capital of Algeria targeting local offices of the United Nations and the “headquarters of the constitutional council”, responsible for overseeing the process of democratic elections.  Media sources have reported that the bombings killed at least 37 people and wounded scores more.