Beheading Sparks Fears of Return to Violence in Algeria

By The Media Line Staff The beheading of an elderly farmer in a small village in rural Algeria has left the locals in shock, with some fearing a return to the dark days of the 1990s, Magharebia News reported. During the '90s the Armed Islamic Group, known by its French acronym as GIA launched a violent uprising against the government after its political wing was denied victory in parliamentary elections. During its war against the government the GIA carried out several massacres in villages accused of supporting the government. Some 120 foreign nationals were also killed by the group. Since the early days of fighting, the GIA evolved in two stages: first to become the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC), which then last year became an official part of Al-Qa'ida and chanced its name to Al-Qa'ida in the Islamic... [read full story]