The families of the four wounded Muslim police officers might beg to differ. “Algeria: Al-Qaeda claims responsibility for suicide attacks” from Adnkronos, August 6:
Algiers, 6 August (AKI) – Al-Qaeda’s branch in North Africa has claimed responsibility for two recent suicide attacks that wounded 25 people including four police officers, according to a statement posted on Islamist forums on Wednesday.[…]
According to the web statement, the suicide attack in Tizi Ouzou was carried out by a young man named Abu Mariam (photo).
“He drove a truck laden with 600 kilogrammes of explosives and hit two important targets: the headquarters of the secret services and local police”, said the statement.
“The Tizi Ouzou attacker Abu Mariam is the son of one of the tribes in the area, and was very careful to avoid spilling the blood of even one Muslim.”
“We tell the sons of France , the slaves of America, and their masters too, that our finger is on the trigger and the convoys of martyrs are longing to rampage your bastions in defence of our Islamic nation,” said the statement.
The previous attack on the town of Lakhdariya, east of Algiers, was reportedly carried out by Abdel Malik Abdel Mara.
He reportedly blew himself up as he drove a motorbike laden with 70 kilogrammes of explosives into a military convoy, wounding at least 13 soldiers.