Historical Dictionary of Terrorism Third Edition

ISLAMIC TENDENCY MOVEMENT • 323The FIS reacted both to the emergence of the GIA and to the Algeriangovernment’s repression by activating its own armed wing, the IslamicSalvation Army (AIS), which retaliated not only with several armed attackson Algerian officials and their security forces but also with attackson non-Muslim residents of Algeria as well as unveiled women. Algeriaaccused Iran of rendering moral and material support to the FIS duringthe Algerian civil conflict, which raged from 1992 until 2000.During a 22 February 1995 prison riot, Algerian police killed atleast 96 militants including two members of the FIS consultativeassembly, Yakhlef Cherati and Belcacem Tajouri. During June 1995the FIS leader, Abbassi Madani, denounced the killings of civiliansby GIA militants. In a move to conciliate the Muslim militants, AlgerianPresident Lamine Zeroual remanded the FIS leaders Madaniand Ali Belhadj from prison to house arrest on 14 September 1996.Following the renunciation of armed struggle against the regime bythe AIS on 6 June 1999, the Algerian government proceeded with anamnesty program for Islamic militants who laid down their arms andalso deliberated on whether to release Madani from house arrest andsuspend the remainder of the 12-year sentence that had been imposedon him in 1991. The FIS imposed a cease-fire on its armed wing, theAIS, on 21 September 1997 and then dissolved the AIS on June 1999,leading to an accord with the Algerian government to seek reconciliation.In January 2000 many armed insurgents surrendered under anamnesty program designed to promote national reconciliation; however,some dissident factions continued to fight.On 18 July 2003 Abassi Madani and Ali Belhadj were releasedfrom prison on condition that they abstain from all political activity.Madani shortly thereafter moved to Qatar. Belhadj was arrested againon 27 July 2005 for criticizing the Algerian government’s move torecognize the new Iraqi regime created following the 2003 U.S.-ledinvasion of Iraq that overthrew Saddam Hussein. The FIS remains anoutlawed party in Algeria while the AIS is no longer considered anactive insurgent group.ISLAMIC TENDENCY MOVEMENT. The Nahdha (literally, “resurgence”),or Islamic Renaissance Movement, is a nonstate Islamicfundamentalist group that seeks to replace the existing seculargovernment in Tunisia with an Islamic regime under which religiousand political affairs would be governed by Islamic law. The group