DATE= 12/3/97
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-38276
TITLE=YEARENDER: MIDEAST TERROR '97
BYLINE=DOUGLAS ROBERTS
DATELINE=CAIRO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: ISLAMIST EXTREMISTS CONTINUED THEIR REIGN OF TERROR IN
ALGERIA IN 1997, AND THERE WERE ALSO BLOODY TERRORIST ATTACKS IN
EGYPT. MIDDLE EAST CORRESPONDENT DOUGLAS ROBERTS REVIEWS THE
YEAR IN THIS REPORT FROM CAIRO.
TEXT: /// ACT, MESSAOUD BAYESH, IN ARABIC -- ESTABLISH AND FADE
///
FORTY-FIVE-YEAR OLD ALGERIAN SCHOOLTEACHER MESSAOUD BAYESH SHOWS
A VISITOR THE RUBBLE OF HIS HOME IN THE FARMING VILLAGE OF SIDI
REIS, A FEW KILOMETERS SOUTH OF ALGIERS. MR. BAYESH'S WIFE WAS
AMONG MORE THAN 500 VILLAGERS SLAUGHTERED THAT NIGHT IN AUGUST BY
ALGERIAN FANATICS CALLED THE ARMED ISLAMIC GROUP.
THE CASUALTY TOLL WAS THE HIGHEST FOR ANY SINGLE ATTACK SINCE THE
COUNTRY'S ISLAMIST INSURGENCY BEGAN MORE THAN FIVE YEARS AGO.
1997 WAS A PARTICULARLY BLOODY YEAR.
THE TERRORISTS STAGED DOZENS OF RAIDS IN THE FERTILE FARM BELT
SOUTH OF THE CAPITAL. SOME OF THE TARGETS WERE WITHIN WALKING
DISTANCE OF POLICE AND ARMY BASES, OTHERS WITHIN SITE OF THE
ALGIERS' SKYLINE. ALL WERE MARKED BY BRUTALITY; IN MOST CASES,
THE VICTIMS WERE HACKED, SLASHED OR STABBED TO DEATH.
ANALYSTS LIKE BRAD DILMAN, OF THE AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF CAIRO,
WERE AT A LOSS TO EXPLAIN THE MOTIVE FOR SUCH SAVAGERY.
/// DILMAN ACT ///
//OPT// AND THAT FOR ME IS THE QUESTION I FIND
DIFFICULT GETTING AN ANSWER TO, BECAUSE IT IS NOT
CLEAR. //END OPT //
IF ONE IS TRYING TO GAIN SUPPORTERS IN SOCIETY, THIS IS
CERTAINLY NOT THE WAY TO DO IT. IN FACT, THIS IS
LIKELY TO ALIENATE POTENTIAL SUPPORTERS FOR THESE
RADICAL ISLAMISTS. OTHER THAN PERHAPS DEMONSTRATING
THAT THE GOVERNMENT DOES NOT COMPLETELY CONTROL
SECURITY IN THE SOCIETY, I DO NOT SEE WHAT IS TO BE
GAINED BY SUCH BRUTALITY.
/// END ACT ///
PROFESSOR DILMAN SPECULATES THE TERRORISTS WERE SIMPLY INTENDING
TO SHOCK ALGERIANS, IN A BID TO POLARIZE SOCIETY AND ERODE
SUPPORT FOR THE GOVERNMENT.
ANALYSTS SAW SIMILAR MOTIVES BEHIND WHAT PROVED TO BE THE WORST
SINGLE TERRORIST ATTACK IN EGYPT. IT HAPPENED IN NOVEMBER AT THE
PHARAONIC TEMPLE OF QUEEN HATSHEPSUT IN THE NILE-SIDE TOWN OF
LUXOR.
SIX GUNMEN OPENED FIRE ON GROUPS OF TOURISTS PREPARING TO ENTER
THE ANCIENT TEMPLE. FIFTY-EIGHT FOREIGNERS AND FOUR EGYPTIANS
WERE KILLED. THE SIX GUNMEN WERE LATER KILLED BY EGYPTIAN
SECURITY FORCES.
THE MASSACRE IN LUXOR AND A SEPTEMBER ATTACK OUTSIDE THE CAIRO
MUSEUM THAT LEFT NINE GERMAN VISITORS DEAD PROVED A DEATH BLOW
FOR EGYPT'S TOURISM INDUSTRY.
EGYPTIAN ACADEMIC SAAD EL-DIN IBRAHIM BELIEVES THAT MAY HAVE BEEN
ONE OF THE AIMS OF THE FANATICS OF EGYPT'S ISLAMIC GROUP, AND IT
WAS ACHIEVED AT RELATIVELY LOW COST.
/// IBRAHIM ACT ///
SO SIX PEOPLE MANAGED TO KILL 60 PEOPLE. PROBABLY WITH
A COUPLE-OF-THOUSAND DOLLARS COST OF FIREARMS AND
MACHINE GUNS AND KNIVES, THEY WILL COST EGYPT
ONE-BILLION DOLLARS IN TOURIST REVENUES IN THE NEXT
THREE MONTHS, THAT IS THE HEIGHT OF THE SEASON.
/// END ACT ///
THE EGYPTIAN AND ALGERIAN GOVERNMENTS RESPONDED TO THE YEAR'S
TERRORIST OUTRAGES WITH STEPPED-UP SECURITY MEASURES AND AN
INTENSIFIED MANHUNT FOR THE ISLAMIST FANATICS.
PROFESSOR DILMAN SEES NO EARLY END TO THE VIOLENCE IN ALGERIA,
BUT HE BELIEVES THE EGYPTIAN GOVERNMENT WILL BE MORE SUCCESSFUL,
AT LEAST IN THE SHORT TERM.
/// SECOND DILMAN ACT ///
THE GOVERNMENT IN EGYPT IS MUCH MORE STABLE, IF YOU
WILL, AND EXERCISES A GREAT DEAL MORE CONTROL OVER THE
NATION'S TERRITORY. AND I THINK FIGHTING TERRORISM IN
EGYPT IS MUCH DIFFERENT FROM FIGHTING A CIVIL WAR OR
MASS CIVIL UNREST IN ALGERIA. SO I THINK THE TASK THAT
THE EGYPTIAN GOVERNMENT FACES IS MUCH LESS DAUNTING THAN
IN ALGERIA.
/// END ACT ///
PROFESSOR DILMAN AND MANY OTHER ANALYSTS IN THE REGION BELIEVE
BOTH THE ALGERIAN AND EGYPTIAN GOVERNMENTS MUST DO MORE TO
RESOLVE THE UNDERLYING POLITICAL, ECONOMIC, AND SOCIAL PROBLEMS
THAT BREED SUPPORT FOR THE ISLAMIST EXTREMISTS. THESE ANALYSTS
SAY IF THE PROBLEMS REMAIN, IT IS NOT A QUESTION OF WHETHER THERE
WILL BE MORE TERRORIST INCIDENTS; IT IS ONLY A QUESTION OF WHEN.
(SIGNED)
NEB/DBR/PCF/RAE
03-Dec-97 7:47 AM EST (1247 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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