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Arab Spring Is Now Targeting Algeria

Algeria’s Islamists, in the political wilderness since their last attempt to win power dissolved into civil war, are now trying again, galvanized by the success of their brethren elsewhere in north Africa in the wake of the Arab Spring.

Published

14 years ago

December 8, 2011

Geoffrey Grider

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(Reuters) – Algeria’s Islamists, in the political wilderness since their last attempt to win power dissolved into civil war, are now trying again, galvanized by the success of their brethren elsewhere in north Africa in the wake of the “Arab Spring”.

Riot policemen clash with university students from marching during a demonstration in which they demand political change in Algiers May 2, 2011. Credit: Reuters/Zohra Bensemra

Most Islamists in Algeria have been excluded from political life since the conflict, but in the past few months they have shown renewed signs of activity, much of it conducted from exile to dodge the attentions of the Algerian state.

They have set up a satellite television station based in Europe, sent delegations to Arab countries that saw revolutions this year, and made tentative forays into anti-government protests.

Their chances of success are slim: they are divided into rival ideological camps, hemmed in by the powerful Algerian security apparatus, and, most importantly, discredited in the eyes of many people by a conflict in which they took part and which killed an estimated 200,000 people.

But they see an opportunity in the upheavals of the “Arab Spring,” which have this year unseated entrenched secularist leaders. In neighboring Tunisia, a previously outlawed Islamist movement has come to power, while in Egypt Islamists have taken a strong early lead in multi-stage parliamentary elections.

“Tunisia was an example and launcher of this (Arab Spring) revolution,” said Abdullah Anas, a London-based member of the leadership council of the Islamic Salvation Front (FIS), which is banned in Algeria.

“It could be a very good example for Algeria.”

LEGACY OF VIOLENCE

Any Islamist revival in Algeria, an OPEC member and supplier of about a fifth of Europe’s imported gas, would have first to shed the burden of the country’s bloody history.

Twenty years ago, FIS was poised to win a legislative election, called after street protests forced the authorities to loosen their grip on power. FIS said it would impose an Islamic state.

The military-backed government stepped in to annul the election. The Islamists took up arms and Algeria slipped into a conflict of horrific violence. Civilians had their throats slit in the street; in the mornings, people woke up to find their towns littered with bodies.

A rump of Islamists, now operating under the banner of al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, is still fighting. They periodically ambush security forces in the countryside, kidnap Westerners and stage suicide bombings.

But the violence has subsided considerably. A huge security crackdown has rounded up thousands of insurgents. Others have laid down their arms and been granted an amnesty, in exchange for an undertaking to stay out of politics.

This legacy is the biggest obstacle to any comeback by Algeria’s Islamists.

“Since then (the conflict), the Islamist was no longer seen as a hero who stands up against tyranny,” said Soheib Bencheikh, a theologian who used to be the chief cleric at the mosque in Marseilles, France, where there is a large Algerian community.

“On the contrary, he became, in the eyes of public opinion, accountable for the pain and suffering of the people,” Bencheikh told Reuters.

A fear of a return to violence helps explain why Algeria has this year remained relatively calm while neighboring countries have been convulsed by unrest.

TV STATION

But the Islamists still believe that Algeria is ripe for change, and are beginning to take practical steps.

Starting in November, a group of exiled Islamists with links to FIS set up a Europe-based television station, called Rachad TV. Carried by the Atlantic Bird 7 and Nilesat satellites , the station can be picked up in Algeria, where most homes have a dish.

It broadcasts political and social programs where opposition leaders and activists — most of them harshly critical of the government — are invited to comment on Algeria.

At the top of the station’s homepage on the Internet, there is a link to show viewers “how to free your country”, and a second link to help them “organize and participate in unrest.”

The exiles say they are also building contacts with other countries where “Arab Spring” revolts have propelled Islamists into a position of power.

Rachad says on its website that it sent a delegation to Libya in late September to meet officials in the new government, in which Islamists have a prominent role.

Abdullah Anas, the exiled Islamist in London, said there had also been contacts with Rachid Ghannouchi, the head of the moderate Islamist Ennahda party. Since an election in October his party leads Tunisia’s coalition government.

Tunisia’s experience had proved that it is possible to open up the political space in north Africa, said Anas.

“Everyone in Algeria must understand that Algeria has room for all … no matter what opinions you have,” he said, calling for a lifting of political curbs and the possibility of power-sharing between previously antagonistic groups.

SALAFISTS STIRRING

Inside Algeria, the most influential Islamist force are the Salafists, followers of an ultra-purist interpretation of Islam. Unlike the FIS, they are tolerated by the Algerian state because their creed forbids participation in politics.

When Algeria was shaken at the beginning of this year by protests sparked by a spike in food prices, the spiritual leader of the Algerian Salafists, Abdelmalek Ramdani, who lives in Saudi Arabia, issued a religious decree.

It said: “As long as the commander of the nation is a Muslim, you must obey and listen to him. Those who are against him are just seeking to replace him, and this is not licit.”

Nevertheless, there are stirrings of political activity by some Salafist preachers.

Sheikh Abdelfateh Zeraoui, a former FIS member and now a well-known Salafist preacher in the Algerian capital, issued a declaration in October saying the government had to enact urgent reforms.

“Political reforms allowing us to have free political activity are key to the stability of the country. Without reforms the country may explode,” the declaration stated.

The preacher has also tried to organize protest marches in the capital, but these have been blocked by the security forces. “We have been barred from politics,” he told Reuters.

The fact that Algerian Islamists are divided dilutes their ability to stage a comeback, said Mohamed Mouloudi, an editor and specialist on Islam.

“They are no longer speaking with one voice,” Mouloudi told Reuters.

“You have the Salafists, the Muslim brotherhood, and the Djaz’airists,(who give priority to Algerian religious traditions) among others,” he said. “You have those who are for a political action, and those who consider political action as illicit.”

SUCCESSION DEBATE

Even so, a debate is now under way in earnest within the Algerian ruling elite, for the first time since the conflict began 20 years ago, about giving Islamists a role in politics.

The focus for that debate — which, like much of Algerian politics, is conducted behind closed doors — is the question of who will succeed President Abdelaziz Bouteflika when his final term ends in 2014.

One camp within the elite is backing Abdelaziz Belkhadem, a former prime minister and secretary general of the ruling FLN party. He is a secularist but is trusted by the Islamists. Opposing him is a camp of hardline secularists who have backing from the powerful security forces.

Friction spilled out into the open when a group of Belkhadem opponents inside the FLN launched a campaign to have him removed from the party leadership.

“It will be wise to promote a man like Abdelaziz Belkhadem who has good ties with Islamists as well as with decision makers inside the regime,” said Mohamed Lagab, a secularist academic at Algiers university.

“Decision makers should take into account that North Africa will be ruled by Islamists ,” said Lagab. source – Reuters

Related Topics:Algeria arab Islamists spring

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Headline News

As Iran Tensions Explode, USS Tripoli Strike Group With A Full Marine Expeditionary Unit Arriving To Reinforce 50,000 U.S. Troops Already Deployed In Region

Published

8 hours ago

March 24, 2026

Geoffrey Grider

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Strait Of Hormuz Becomes Flashpoint As USS Tripoli And Combat Marines Enter Region Backed By Tens Of Thousands Of U.S. Forces

The USS Tripoli is not a symbol. It is not a diplomatic gesture. It is a fully operational, forward-deployed invasion platform. A Marine Expeditionary Unit is specifically designed for one thing: to hit fast, hit hard, and establish a foothold before the enemy can react. On Friday it will arrive to reopen the Strait of Hormuz replete with 2,200 US Marines who will be joining the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit of 2,500 Marines that’s due to arrive mid-April. And you think this war is winding down? Guess again.

“Joshua made war a long time with all those kings.” Joshua 11:18 (KJB)

The Strait of Hormuz is the economic jugular vein of the planet, where a massive portion of the world’s oil supply flows every single day. Whoever controls that chokepoint holds leverage over global markets, economies, and stability itself. Right now, Iran has their fingers on the controls, something that President Donald Trump would love dearly to see come to a sooner rather than later end. The USS Tripoli is not just a ship, it is a floating strike platform, a fully armed and operational war machine positioned at sea. On board are F-35B stealth fighter jets, MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft, attack and transport helicopters, and ground combat Marines trained and ready for amphibious assault. This is not a slow, piecemeal military buildup taking shape over time; this is a complete, self-contained invasion force, already assembled and capable of launching operations the very moment the order is given. And it doesn’t stand alone. Moving with it is the USS New Orleans, an amphibious transport dock, carrying roughly 2,200 Marines from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit. Together, this is Day One war capability — not theoretical, not preparatory, but active and deployed. Everything needed for immediate combat operations is already in place, already in position, and ready to be unleashed.

Please pray for our amazing US Marines, Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen as they get ready to, hopefully, take control of the Strait of Hormuz and bring this war to an end. Semper Fi.

WRITTEN FOR SOLDIERS BY A SOLDIER ON HOW TO DEAL WITH PTSD FROM A BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVE, MAKES A GREAT GIFT FOR THE WARRIOR IN YOUR LIFE. CLICK TO ORDER!!

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Donald Trump

Did Trump’s 2025 Saudi Visit Lay The Groundwork For Iran War? Mohammed Bin Salman Sees Iran Conflict As An ‘Historic Opportunity’ To Remake Middle East

Published

10 hours ago

March 24, 2026

Geoffrey Grider

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Prince Mohammed bin Salman sees a ‘historic opportunity’ to remake the region through Donald Trump’s war with Iran, according to people briefed by U.S. officials on the conversations.

The latest reporting paints a striking picture: Mohammed bin Salman privately urging Donald Trump to continue a war with Iran, describing the conflict not as a crisis to contain, but as a “historic opportunity” to remake the Middle East. That phrase alone should give pause. History is filled with leaders who believed they stood at the threshold of reshaping the region, but few did so without unleashing major consequences far beyond their control. Do you remember Trump’s May of 2025 magnum opus meeting they called ‘MAGA In The Desert’? Let me remind you.

“Beside that which chapmen and merchants brought. And all the kings of Arabia and governors of the country brought gold and silver to Solomon.” 2 Chronicles 9:14 (KJB)

What we are witnessing right now in the Middle East did not begin with missiles flying over Tehran or oil tankers sitting idle in the Strait of Hormuz. This moment was set in motion long before the first shot was fired, when Donald Trump stepped onto Saudi soil and locked in one of the largest economic and military partnerships in modern history. That visit was billed as dealmaking, and yes, the numbers were staggering, with agreements ranging from $600 billion to nearly $1 trillion in investments, defense systems, and strategic cooperation, but the real story was not the money. The real story was the alignment. That Saudi trip cemented a powerful alliance between Trump and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, tying the United States and Saudi Arabia together through weapons deals, economic dependency, and shared regional objectives. Massive defense agreements, including advanced aircraft and hundreds of tanks, were not merely symbolic gestures, they were the building blocks of a military capability and deterrence alliance between the United States and Saudi Arabia.

CANDID CAMERA: That look on Pete Hegseth’ s face when President Trump begins the processing of shifting the blame away from himself for a very expensive and unpopular war in Iran to the Secretary of War is an instant classic. Come on, Pete, did you expect anything different? pic.twitter.com/Q4OHsCIX1S

— Now The End Begins (@NowTheEndBegins) March 24, 2026

Fast forward to today, and the region is engulfed in war. The United States and its allies are engaged in a full-scale conflict with Iran, striking thousands of targets while Tehran retaliates across the region, sending shockwaves through global energy markets and threatening to choke off the world’s oil supply. The war has already escalated into a multi-front confrontation involving Israel, proxy militias, and global powers scrambling to prevent total collapse of stability in the Middle East. This is no limited engagement—this is the kind of conflict that reshapes maps. And now comes the revelation that pulls the curtain back just a little further. According to reports based on briefings from U.S. officials, Mohammed bin Salman is urging Trump to stay the course, viewing the war with Iran as a “historic opportunity” to reshape the region in Saudi Arabia’s favor. That statement, if true, should stop you cold. Because it connects the dots between what was built in Saudi Arabia last year and what is unfolding right now on the battlefield. Are we fighting this war for Israel, for Mohammed bin Salman, for who then?

This is where the question becomes unavoidable. Did Trump’s Saudi visit lay the groundwork for what we are now seeing? No one is going to come out and say that openly, and Saudi officials publicly deny pushing for escalation. But the sequence of events speaks loudly. First came the alliance. Then came the investment. Then came the weapons. And now comes the war. So no, this is not just about contracts signed in Riyadh, and it is not just about bombs falling on Iran. This is about timing. It is about alliances forged in peace being leveraged in war. And it is about a Middle East that is rapidly being reshaped before our eyes, exactly as Scripture said it would be.

Saudi Prince Is Said to Push Trump to Continue Iran War in Recent Calls

FROM THE NEW YORK TIMES: Saudi Arabia’s de facto leader, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, has been pushing President Trump to continue the war against Iran, arguing that the U.S.-Israeli military campaign presents a “historic opportunity” to remake the Middle East, according to people briefed by American officials on the conversations.

In a series of conversations over the last week, Prince Mohammed has conveyed to Mr. Trump that he must press toward the destruction of Iran’s hard-line government, the people familiar with the conversations said. Prince Mohammed, the people familiar with the discussions said, has argued that Iran poses a long-term threat to the Gulf that can only be eliminated by getting rid of the government.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel also views Iran as a long-term threat, but analysts say Israeli officials would probably view a failed Iranian state that is too caught up in internal turmoil to menace Israel as a win, while Saudi Arabia views a failed state in Iran as a grave and direct security threat. But senior officials in both the Saudi and American governments worry that if the conflict drags on, Iran could deliver ever more punishing attacks on Saudi oil installations and the United States could be stuck in an endless war.

Prince Mohammed, an authoritarian royal who has led a sustained crackdown on dissent, is respected by Mr. Trump and has previously influenced the president’s decision-making. Prince Mohammed has argued that the United States should consider putting troops in Iran to seize energy infrastructure and force the government out of power, according to the people briefed by U.S. officials.

Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, said the administration “does not comment on the president’s private conversations.” READ MORE

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Donald Trump

THE PROPHECY NEWS PODCAST: President Trump May Be Looking For The Exit Ramp As He Cancels His Own 48-Hour Deadline For Iran To Reopen Strait Of Hormuz

Published

2 days ago

March 23, 2026

Geoffrey Grider

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TACO Trump Always Chickens Out? Iran Ultimatum Deadline Comes And Goes With No Action As Strait Of Hormuz Crisis Continues In Iran

For days now, the rhetoric coming out of Washington had all the markings of escalation. President Donald Trump issued a hard 48-hour ultimatum to Iran: reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face devastating U.S. strikes on critical infrastructure. The language was not vague. It was direct, forceful, and absolute. And now? That deadline has come and gone and has quietly turned into a 5-day deadline with the White House desperately trying to sell it as a win which it absolutely is not. It is hesitation, uncertainty, and sadly, weakness. TACO Trump is back with a vengeance.

“A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.” James 1:8 (KJB)

On this episode of the Prophecy News Podcast, instead of action, Trump extended the timeline, paused military strikes, and began talking about “productive conversations.” That’s not follow-through—that’s a pivot. And not a subtle one. Let’s say it plainly: this is exactly why critics have begun branding him “TACO Trump” — Trump Always Chickens Out. On multiple podcasts, I have already stated clearly that this war was not going in Trump’s favor. The early signs were there for anyone willing to look—Iran was not backing down, regional tensions were spreading, global economic pressure was mounting, and the Strait of Hormuz, one of the most critical chokepoints on earth, remained under constant threat. I said then that Trump looked like he was in over his head, and what we’re seeing now only reinforces that assessment. This is not a controlled situation. This is not a clean show of strength. This is a leader who issued a red line and is now stepping away from it under pressure. You can be absolutely certain of this: Tehran is not interpreting this as diplomacy. They are interpreting it as hesitation. In the Middle East, hesitation is not neutral—it is weakness. When the United States threatens “obliteration” and then delays action, adversaries recalibrate. They test further. They push harder. And that increases the chances of a much larger conflict down the road. The news is changing by the minute, and we bring it all to you today!

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