Abdelhak Layada: “Terrorist groups are able of toppling incumbent regime”
The founder of Armed Islamic Group GIA, Abdelhak Layada to El Khabar
“Terrorist groups are able of toppling incumbent regime”
El Khabar, 17 august 2008
Abdelhak Layada, known as Abu Adlène, is one of the founders of the Armed Islamic Group, GIA. He is the former leader of this terrorist group. He has indicated that a sentence in absentia has been issued against him, as well as his son Adlane.
In an interview with El Khabar, in his house southern Algiers, in which he has refused to condemn the terrorist attacks, adding that the retired General Khaled Nezzar asked him for forgiveness, while the incumbent Prime Minister Mr. Ouyahia has asked him to be careful.
El Khabar: the security situation has worsen in the few last weeks, are you as able as to ease these attacks?
Abdelhak Layada: any citizen has a role to play to make an end to the crisis, but what could I do if I am sentenced in absentia, while my properties have been expropriated.
El Khabar: how do you consider the current security situation?
Abdelhak Layada: this question should be addressed to the Minister of Home Affairs Mr. Zerhouni, who announced that only a few number of terrorists still constituting a danger, and who minimized the number of the citizens killed every day.
El Khabar: do you think that the armed groups harboring in the mountains are able to harm the incumbent regime through the attacks they are carrying out?
Abdelhak Layada: yes in deed, they are! If the authorities are able of eradicating them, they will not hesitate to do so, worse more, I think that the armed groups are getting stronger than they have been before, as they managed attacking sensitive institutions as like the Government Headquarters, the Supreme Court, and UN affiliated body in Algiers.
El Khabar: how about the legality of these attacks?
Abdelhak Layada: I neither support nor condemn the attacks, and I am not in a position to approach such an issue, because I am neither allowed practicing politics, nor running for election, or creating a political party, or even creating a caritative association, so why should I approach such an a issue?
El Khabar: if I ask you to address a message to the terrorists under the umbrella of Al-Qaeda, in which you call on them to surrender, what would be your reaction?
Abdelhak Layada: I will not do so, but I will accept to be an intermediate between both parties. But what could I tell them? Would I ask them for surrendering? We are not an example for them as we were touched by the regime’s grace. So I do not think that they will accept to abandon the arms.
El Khabar: have you met the retired General Nezar, when he moved to Morocco, in 1994, to get you back to Algeria?
Abdelhak Layada: I met him in the burial ceremony of General Smail Lamari, in Sep.2007; he embraced me and asked me for forgiveness, while showing me a drug bottle, and said that he was sick. I talked to the majority of the high ranking Army Officers, who attended the burial ceremony, namely General Maiza, General Cherif Fodil, who asked me to visit him in Moretti resort, where he was alive. I met Mr. Said Bouteflika,the brother of the incumbent President, he embraced me and promised me to tell his brother the President Bouteflika, to fix an appointment to meet him. I met with the incumbent Prime Minister Ouyahia, and the Minister Selal, who asked me to be careful with my self.
El Khabar: is it true that Mr. Ouyahia refused to shake hand with you?
Abdelhak Layada: this is not right; when I met with him he embraced me and asked me to take care about my self.
17-08-2008
By H.Y/Translation Section
