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Jan. 9, 2007— -- Leader of Algerian Group Vows Obedience to bin Laden in New Video
The leader of the Algerian Salafist Group for Call and Combat (GSPC) hinted in a new video posted on the Internet that his group would follow al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden's instructions if asked to fight outside of Algeria. "Place us wherever your want, you will find us to be obedient," says Abu Musaab Abdul Wadud in the 22-minute video entitled "We Are Coming."
Abdul Wadud, whose real name is Abdul Malik Drukdal, updates bin Laden on the situation in Algeria and assures him that his group is fighting according to a set plan. He also warns Algerian President Abdul Aziz Bouteflika against relying on the U.S. and other Western countries like France as allies, saying that they will eventually abandon him. "Bouteflika, you have to know, along with your assistants the generals and your masters the crusaders that we are coming...we are coming in spite of our deep wounds…and in spite of our expulsion and our casualties."
Abdul Wadud congratulates the "heroes" in Iraq and acknowledges the establishment of "the Islamic State in al Anbar." He also expresses support for the Islamic Courts in Somalia and claims the U.S. is losing in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Finally, Abdul Wadud tries to incite Algerian Muslims to join the fight against the government. "Our issue is your issue, our victory would be your victory and our defeat -God forbid- would be your defeat."
The video is dated January 3. It was shot in daylight and appears similar to the ones issues by bin Laden and al Qaeda's number two Ayman al Zawahri. It shows Abdul Wadud sitting in front of a green cloth with a weapon by his side, but he is reading from a paper.
The new video signals that while fighting local battles, militant Islamist groups in different parts of the world are coming together and addressing the same issues which at the time being focus on recognition of the "Islamic State of Iraq" and the conflict in Somalia.
GSPC joined al Qaeda and pledged allegiance to bin Laden in September, as announced in a video by al Zawahri and later confirmed by the group itself.
