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Algeria: Letters and releases from the Armed Islamic Group (Groupe Islamique Armé, GIA); their logo or stamp; whether there is a section of the GIA called "Troisième région ouest, Brigade Itisam"; their relationship with Emir Antar Zouabri

No information on a section of the Armed Islamic Group (Groupe Islamique Armé, GIA) called "troisième région ouest, Brigade Itisam" (Third Region West, Itisam Brigade) in Algeria could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

However, according to a report published by the Geneva-based Commission socialiste de solidarité internationale (CSSI) on the Parti socialiste virtuel et global Website, which quotes December 1998 articles from several Algerian newspapers, there is a GIA territorial division called "Zone III" that encompasses the regions of Tissemsilt, Tiaret, Relizane, Mostaganem, Mascara and Sidi Bel Abbès (Jan. 2002). The Zone III emir (zonal emir), Rachid Ouadhah, also known as "Ould Benzineb", was put on trial with 87 co-defenders on 1 December 1998 in Tiaret and was sentenced to death the next day on murder-related and propaganda charges (ibid.). Among those charged, 36 were declared to be on the run, including Antar Zouabri, Djamel Zitouni and Khalfa Mustapha, also known as "Okacha", or presumed dead (ibid.). Ouadhah pleaded guilty on two of the 12 murder-related charges laid against him, and admitted having been responsible for establishing a propaganda communication network linking the United Kingdom, Germany and the city of Algiers to the Zone III underground areas of the GIA (ibid.). Ouadhah became the local emir after the destitution of Okacha, his predecessor.

The report also quotes a January 2000 El Watan article which stated that out of the original 1,000 GIA fighters of Zones III and IV (West), only 300 remain, most of the time scattered in small groups of five or six persons, often outside their areas of operation (ibid.). Among GIA groupings described in January 2000 as active combat groups (katibat), or potentially active, are the "Telagh" (about 25 members) operating around Sidi Bel Abbès, the "Essaïhoune" (about 30 members) near Tiaret and "El Intikam" in the Tissemsilt region (about 20 members) (ibid.).

A logo, in colour, purporting to be that of the GIA, can be found on the Website of the Centre de recherche sur le terrorisme international (CRTI) at <http://www.crti.org/Groupes/GIA.htm>.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Centre de recherche sur le terrorisme international (CRTI). Circa 1996-1997. "Groupe

islamique armé." <http://www.crti.org/Groupes/GIA.htm>. [Accessed 31 Jan. 2002]

Commission socialiste de solidarité internationale (CSSI), Geneva. Updated 11 January 2002. "Chronique des groupes armés." <http://www.multimania.com/troubles/gia.htm> [Accessed 31 Jan. 2002]

Additional Sources Consulted

IRB Databases

LEXIS/NEXIS

Internet sources including:

United Kingdom. Home Office, Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND). October 2001. Country Assessment – Algeria.

World News Connection (WNC)

Topics: Militias,