Mustapha Kartali
Encyclopedia
Mustapha Kartali was the main Islamist guerrilla leader in the Larbaa region during the Algerian Civil War
.
Born in 1946, he was elected FIS
mayor of Larbaa, a town south of Algiers, in 1991. After the military banned FIS, he joined the Armed Islamic Group
's guerrillas in fighting the government, becoming an emir. In late 1995, however, he left it - motivated, he claims, by its atrocities, and objecting to the new leadership of Djamel Zitouni
.
On July 21, 1996, he announced the creation of a new organization - the Islamic Movement for Preaching and Jihad (MIPD) - uniting ex-GIA dissidents with the Movement for an Islamic State (MEI) and Islamic Front for Armed Jihad
(FIDA); in the announcement, he condemned both the GIA and the AIS. His area of influence was around Larbaa, up to about Meftah
and Tablat
; at one point, his group is said to have numbered about 300. The government put a price on his head of 3 million dinars (about 75,000 francs.) In 1996, his son was arrested, and disappeared.
He eventually aligned himself with the FIS's armed wing, the Islamic Salvation Army, becoming the head of its Katibat Errahmane brigade. GIA efforts to take revenge on him for his desertion have been advanced as a possible motive for the Si-Zerrouk massacre
(July 1997), the Djiboulo massacre (December 1997), and the Larbaa market bombing (July 2002) around Larbaa. El Watan mistakenly reported on February 23, 1997, that his corpse had been found; however, he was in fact alive.
He soon joined the AIS's unilateral ceasefire of October 1, 1997. He and 150 members of his group ceased combat on November 8, 1997 and took the amnesty offered by the government in September 1999 (other members had already done so in December 1998). He went on pilgrimage
to Mecca
around 2004.
The amnesty he received angered some locals, who see it as leaving crimes unpunished. Notably, Amina Kouidri, leader of a local association for victims of terrorism, holds him responsible for the unpunished murder of her twelve-year-old sister in 1994. He denies this, blaming the murder on the GIA.
Nissa Hammadi (Le Matin 30 Dec. 2001) claims that he is estimated to have a personal fortune of "several billion centimes" saved from his time as a guerrilla, taken from donations and unofficial taxes; it does not give its sources for this estimate.
On August 14, 2007, Kartali's car was attacked with a bomb in Larbaa and he was badly injured, losing one of his legs.
Algerian Civil War
The Algerian Civil War was an armed conflict between the Algerian government and various Islamist rebel groups which began in 1991. It is estimated to have cost between 150,000 and 200,000 lives, in a population of about 25,010,000 in 1990 and 31,193,917 in 2000.More than 70 journalists were...
.
Born in 1946, he was elected FIS
Islamic Salvation Front
The Islamic Salvation Front is an outlawed Islamist political party in Algeria.-Goals:...
mayor of Larbaa, a town south of Algiers, in 1991. After the military banned FIS, he joined 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...
's guerrillas in fighting the government, becoming an emir. In late 1995, however, he left it - motivated, he claims, by its atrocities, and objecting to the new leadership of Djamel Zitouni
Djamel Zitouni
Abou Abderahmane Amine, born Djamel Zitouni , was the leader of the Algerian Armed Islamic Group , a terrorist group responsible for carrying out a series of bombings in France in 1995.He was killed by a rival faction on July 16, 1996.-References:* William J...
.
On July 21, 1996, he announced the creation of a new organization - the Islamic Movement for Preaching and Jihad (MIPD) - uniting ex-GIA dissidents with the Movement for an Islamic State (MEI) and Islamic Front for Armed Jihad
Islamic Front for Armed Jihad
*This article is about the Algerian Islamist faction. For the Palestinian political party also called "FIDA", see Palestine Democratic Union.The Islamic Front for Armed Jihad was a militant Islamist organization active during the Algerian Civil War...
(FIDA); in the announcement, he condemned both the GIA and the AIS. His area of influence was around Larbaa, up to about Meftah
Meftah
Meftah is a town and commune in Blida Province, Algeria. According to the 1998 census it has a population of 52,521.-References:...
and Tablat
Tablat
Tablat is a town and commune in Médéa Province, Algeria. According to the 1998 census it has a population of 28,276.-References:...
; at one point, his group is said to have numbered about 300. The government put a price on his head of 3 million dinars (about 75,000 francs.) In 1996, his son was arrested, and disappeared.
He eventually aligned himself with the FIS's armed wing, the Islamic Salvation Army, becoming the head of its Katibat Errahmane brigade. GIA efforts to take revenge on him for his desertion have been advanced as a possible motive for the Si-Zerrouk massacre
Si-Zerrouk massacre
The Si Zerrouk massacre took place in the Si Zerrouk neighborhood in the south of Larbaa in Algeria on 27 July 1997. About 50 people were killed....
(July 1997), the Djiboulo massacre (December 1997), and the Larbaa market bombing (July 2002) around Larbaa. El Watan mistakenly reported on February 23, 1997, that his corpse had been found; however, he was in fact alive.
He soon joined the AIS's unilateral ceasefire of October 1, 1997. He and 150 members of his group ceased combat on November 8, 1997 and took the amnesty offered by the government in September 1999 (other members had already done so in December 1998). He went on pilgrimage
Hajj
The Hajj is the pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia. It is one of the largest pilgrimages in the world, and is the fifth pillar of Islam, a religious duty that must be carried out at least once in their lifetime by every able-bodied Muslim who can afford to do so...
to Mecca
Mecca
Mecca is a city in the Hijaz and the capital of Makkah province in Saudi Arabia. The city is located inland from Jeddah in a narrow valley at a height of above sea level...
around 2004.
The amnesty he received angered some locals, who see it as leaving crimes unpunished. Notably, Amina Kouidri, leader of a local association for victims of terrorism, holds him responsible for the unpunished murder of her twelve-year-old sister in 1994. He denies this, blaming the murder on the GIA.
Nissa Hammadi (Le Matin 30 Dec. 2001) claims that he is estimated to have a personal fortune of "several billion centimes" saved from his time as a guerrilla, taken from donations and unofficial taxes; it does not give its sources for this estimate.
On August 14, 2007, Kartali's car was attacked with a bomb in Larbaa and he was badly injured, losing one of his legs.