Throughout the past decade Algeria has been in chaos. Its economy has stalled - unemployment now stands at 30% - and its internal security has been breached by a succession of terrorist attacks.
The lack of any substance to their lives has encouraged many young Algerians to seek work in Europe. Many of those who chose to stay behind have become radicals and have joined terrorist groups in their war against the security forces. A handful chose to move to Afghanistan to train in al-Qaeda camps, and there is evidence that they kept their connections with GSPC terrorist gangs.
As the war raged, it became apparent that the majority of the Islamist combatants were members of the Salafist branch of Islam, which excludes all but one interpretation of the religion - that revealed by the Prophet Muhammad and his 'salaf', or companions. In 1996 and 1997, Salafist violence was at its most extreme. The GIA is known to have massacred thousands of Algerian civilians thought to support the government regime.
But the rebels failed to break the government's will, and there was a backlash against them. Following the bloodshed of 1996 and 1997, the GIA became fragmented as rival warlords battled for power. The GSPC was formed in 1998 by Hassan Hattab, also known as Abu Hamza, who condemned those killing innocents in the name of Islam.
The lack of any substance to their lives has encouraged many young Algerians to seek work in Europe. Many of those who chose to stay behind have become radicals and have joined terrorist groups in their war against the security forces. A handful chose to move to Afghanistan to train in al-Qaeda camps, and there is evidence that they kept their connections with GSPC terrorist gangs.
As the war raged, it became apparent that the majority of the Islamist combatants were members of the Salafist branch of Islam, which excludes all but one interpretation of the religion - that revealed by the Prophet Muhammad and his 'salaf', or companions. In 1996 and 1997, Salafist violence was at its most extreme. The GIA is known to have massacred thousands of Algerian civilians thought to support the government regime.
But the rebels failed to break the government's will, and there was a backlash against them. Following the bloodshed of 1996 and 1997, the GIA became fragmented as rival warlords battled for power. The GSPC was formed in 1998 by Hassan Hattab, also known as Abu Hamza, who condemned those killing innocents in the name of Islam.