Hassan Hattab
Encyclopedia
Hassan Hattab is the founder and first leader of the Algeria
n Islamist rebel group Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC).
Born in Rouiba
, he trained as a paratrooper
in his national service
, in the course of which he met his future lieutenants Amari Saïfi
and Abbi Abdelaziz. After leaving the army in 1989, he became a mechanic. He joined the most radical of the Islamist guerrilla movements, the Armed Islamic Group
(GIA), after the cancellation of the 1992 elections. In 1994, he became "amir", or chief, in charge of what it called the "second zone", the Kabylie
region. As such, he notably was the signer of the document announcing that the GIA had assassinated the anti-religious Kabyle singer Lounes Matoub
.
He broke with the GIA on September 14, 1998, rejecting its takfir
ist policy of massacring Algerian civilians en masse and accusing it of being infiltrated by the Algerian secret services. His group, the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat, was mainly active in the east of the country, notably in the forests of western Kabylie such as Mizrana
, Boumehni, Sidi Ali Bounab, and Takhoukht. It soon eclipsed the GIA as the latter was torn apart by internal purges and army victories. However, at some point after 2001 he lost his leadership position; by October 23, 2003, Nabil Sahraoui
had taken over the group.
A "repentant" ex-member reported that he was killed by his own organization in summer 2003. However, the GSPC itself claims that he simply resigned. In 2004, the international Arab
newspaper al-Hayat al-Jadida
published an interview with Hattab after the death of his GSPC successor Nabil Sahraoui
, where he claimed to be the legitimate leader of the organization.
On February 9, 2005, the GSPC announced that it had excluded him entirely from the group and saw him as a "stranger to jihad
" and a "suppliant before tyranny", according to El Watan
, thus further suggesting that previous rumors of his death might have been exaggerated. In March, he was reported to have called for the GSPC to end their fight.
On 22 March 2007, Agence France Presse reported that Hassan Hattab is now under a death sentence in Algeria.
On 5 October 2007, Algerian Minister of the Interior Noureddine Yazid Zerhouni confirmed that Hattab had surrendered on 22 September.
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
n Islamist rebel group Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC).
Born in Rouiba
Rouïba
Rouiba is a city in Algiers Province, Algeria. The population is 62,808 and the postal code is 35300. It is the capital of Rouïba District....
, he trained as a paratrooper
Paratrooper
Paratroopers are soldiers trained in parachuting and generally operate as part of an airborne force.Paratroopers are used for tactical advantage as they can be inserted into the battlefield from the air, thereby allowing them to be positioned in areas not accessible by land...
in his national service
National service
National service is a common name for mandatory government service programmes . The term became common British usage during and for some years following the Second World War. Many young people spent one or more years in such programmes...
, in the course of which he met his future lieutenants Amari Saïfi
Amari Saifi
Amari Saifi , also known under his aliases Abou Haidara or Abderrazak le Para, is one of the leaders of the Islamist militia Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat ....
and Abbi Abdelaziz. After leaving the army in 1989, he became a mechanic. He joined the most radical of the Islamist guerrilla movements, the Armed Islamic Group
Armed Islamic Group
The Armed Islamic Group is an Islamist organisation that wants to overthrow the Algerian government and replace it with an Islamic state...
(GIA), after the cancellation of the 1992 elections. In 1994, he became "amir", or chief, in charge of what it called the "second zone", the Kabylie
Kabylie
Kabylie or Kabylia , is a region in the north of Algeria.It is part of the Tell Atlas and is located at the edge of the Mediterranean Sea. Kabylia covers several provinces of Algeria: the whole of Tizi Ouzou and Bejaia , most of Bouira and parts of the wilayas of Bordj Bou Arreridj, Jijel,...
region. As such, he notably was the signer of the document announcing that the GIA had assassinated the anti-religious Kabyle singer Lounes Matoub
Lounès Matoub
Lounès Matoub was a famous Berber Kabyle singer and mondol player who was a prominent advocate of the Berber cause and secularism in Algeria throughout his life.He is revered as a hero and martyr in Kabylie and the Berber World but reviled by most of the Arab...
.
He broke with the GIA on September 14, 1998, rejecting its takfir
Takfir
In Islamic law, takfir or takfeer refers to the practice of one Muslim declaring another Muslim an unbeliever or kafir...
ist policy of massacring Algerian civilians en masse and accusing it of being infiltrated by the Algerian secret services. His group, the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat, was mainly active in the east of the country, notably in the forests of western Kabylie such as Mizrana
Mizrana
Mizrana is a town and commune in Tizi Ouzou Province in northern Algeria....
, Boumehni, Sidi Ali Bounab, and Takhoukht. It soon eclipsed the GIA as the latter was torn apart by internal purges and army victories. However, at some point after 2001 he lost his leadership position; by October 23, 2003, Nabil Sahraoui
Nabil Sahraoui
Nabil Sahraoui , alias Mustapha Abou Ibrahim was an Algerian Islamist militant, and the head of the radical Groupe Salafiste pour la Prédication et le Combat from August 2003 until his death the following year.In 2003 he pleged allegiance as GSPC leader to Usama bin Ladin's Al Qaeda...
had taken over the group.
A "repentant" ex-member reported that he was killed by his own organization in summer 2003. However, the GSPC itself claims that he simply resigned. In 2004, the international Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
newspaper al-Hayat al-Jadida
Al-Hayat al-Jadida
Al-Hayat al-Jadida , is an official daily newspaper of the Palestinian National Authority.- External links :*...
published an interview with Hattab after the death of his GSPC successor Nabil Sahraoui
Nabil Sahraoui
Nabil Sahraoui , alias Mustapha Abou Ibrahim was an Algerian Islamist militant, and the head of the radical Groupe Salafiste pour la Prédication et le Combat from August 2003 until his death the following year.In 2003 he pleged allegiance as GSPC leader to Usama bin Ladin's Al Qaeda...
, where he claimed to be the legitimate leader of the organization.
On February 9, 2005, the GSPC announced that it had excluded him entirely from the group and saw him as a "stranger to jihad
Jihad
Jihad , an Islamic term, is a religious duty of Muslims. In Arabic, the word jihād translates as a noun meaning "struggle". Jihad appears 41 times in the Quran and frequently in the idiomatic expression "striving in the way of God ". A person engaged in jihad is called a mujahid; the plural is...
" and a "suppliant before tyranny", according to El Watan
El Watan
El Watan is an independent newspaper in Algeria. The paper was founded in 1990 after Omar Belhouchet and nineteen colleagues left the FLN government-owned newspaper El Moudjahid ....
, thus further suggesting that previous rumors of his death might have been exaggerated. In March, he was reported to have called for the GSPC to end their fight.
On 22 March 2007, Agence France Presse reported that Hassan Hattab is now under a death sentence in Algeria.
On 5 October 2007, Algerian Minister of the Interior Noureddine Yazid Zerhouni confirmed that Hattab had surrendered on 22 September.