January21, 2007:
The government is trying to stamp out the last Islamic terrorists
with a public relations campaign. The last few hundred Islamic terrorists
running around are restricted to a few areas in the country where the
population is still angry enough at the government (mainly over economic
issues, and general incompetence) to withhold tips. The terrorists have responded
by changing their tactics, and not killing a lot of civilians merely suspected
of supplying information to the police, or refusing food and shelter to the
terrorists. So the government is plastering these areas with posters, calling
on people to provide information, and end the terror once and for all. Given
the disdain most of the population has for the government, it will take more
than radio spots and posters to change peoples minds.
January
20, 2007: Four Algerian terrorism suspects, held without charge in
Britain for over four years, have agreed to be returned to Algeria. Activists
in Britain have, until now, prevented Algeria from taking custody of these men,
because of fears they may be abused by Algerian police.
January
19, 2007: Italy arrested two Algerians, who had left Bosnia to enter Italy and
sell false documents. But the men are believed involved in Islamic terrorism as
well. The two are part of terrorist diaspora from Algeria. The Algerian
terrorist find that they get the warmest welcome in Europe, which is the one
place where al Qaeda has not killed a lot of Moslems.
Algeria
is pestering France to complete the removal of landmines still in the ground
along Algeria's eastern and western borders. These mines were laid over forty
years ago, when Algerian rebels (against French colonial rule) were getting
support from neighboring countries. France did remove some 80 percent of the
mines, but left the ones too difficult to find, or in areas where they were
unlikely to do any damage. The remaining mines have been a problem, and the
Algerians would like the French to come back and finish the job, and to help
with the cost of taking care of landmine victims.
January
12, 2007: Tunisia broke up a terrorist cell, which was mainly composed of Algerian
GSPC members. But now GSPC has officially joined al Qaeda, and al Qaeda has
been trying to re-establish itself in Tunisia since its last attack there, in
2002 (when a bomb outside a synagogue killed 19 people, most of them foreign
tourists). This time, al Qaeda was aiming at embassies. Tunisia has always been
a prime al Qaeda target, because this country has come down hard on Islamic
radicals, with the support of the Tunisian people. Nothing like a challenge.
But so far, the terrorists are losing. However, successful recruiting in
Algeria and Europe, and fund raising in Europe, keep the Islamic killers
coming. That has caused the governments of North Africa, Europe and North
America, to cooperate closely in tracking Islamic terrorists.