01 April 2013 - orsam

Ideological convergence and dogmatic
loyalty are clear, but is there an
organisational link and loyalty?
Magharebia: Does the quick response by
Ansar al-Sharia in Tunisia to al-Qaeda's
message indicate any organisational link?
declare its allegiance and engage
organisationally in al-Qaeda.
Magharebia: Yet it seems that Ansar al-
Sharia in Libya is more powerful and has
more weapons. So why is al-Qaeda so
interested in Tunisia?
Rami: In the jihadist phenomenon we
must distinguish between ideological
loyalty imposed by intellectual and
ideological harmony, which forces on
jihadi elements the duty of helping, and
the organisational link which requires an
official announcement through a
declaration of allegiance.
Rami: Unlike Tunisia, the situation in Libya
is unclear. The state there is completely
disjointed, with major security
breakdowns. The features of the social
and political equation are not known. In
Libya, armed militias prevail. Some belong
to people or tribes, some are Islamists and
some are linked to regional powers.
This is what we've seen previously when
the Salafist Group for Preaching and
Combat (GSPC) announced its allegiance
to al-Qaeda.
It is different for volunteers to go to Syria
and Mali. They do not go because of an
organisational commitment but volunteer
based on the duty of helping.
This could explain the invitation contained
in the message as a polarising one,
intended to urge Ansar al-Sharia to
Ansar al-Sharia appeared in Libya as an
extension of the new jihadist movement
which rebounded after the killing of Bin
Laden in the context of the Arab Spring.
They operated openly before being
trapped after the killing of the US
ambassador. Currently the parameters of
this movement are unclear, but it exists.
There are also ancient jihadists in Libya.
They have been involved in the
government. There were also attempts to
contain this extremist movement in Libya
after the revolution. However, I think that
Sayfa 35