The latest video by Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb’s media arm, Al-Andalus, looks to reinforce statements in a previous video by Mabarek Yazid, aka Abu Obeida Youcef, the leader of AQIM’s Council of Worthies, to win sympathy with Muslims throughout the Maghreb nations and inspire potential Islamist sympathizers to join their cause.
The recruitment video seeks to inspire followers with a consistent theme of perceived injustices to Muslims, while highlighting one of AQIM’s successful offensive operations. It begins by focusing on the beatings and extrajudicial killings of suspected Boko Haram members by Nigerian police in July 2009. The video then transitions to clips and photos of Maghreb government officials and authorities, along with voice-overs of prominent al Qaeda leaders Abu Yahya al Libi and Osama Bin Laden giving dour motivational speeches about the pacification and primacy of “apostate” authorities that hinder the Muslim people and their faith. Young men are seen speaking about their training; then the video depicts the ambush that killed roughly 20 Algerian soldiers in Damoos, a district of Tipaza province, in northern Algeria. The last speech in the video is from Ayman Al-Zawahiri, who states that the will to battle injustice against the Muslim people and faith starts with “our battle with ourselves.”
Warning. This video contains graphic violence. Viewer discretion is advised.
The video can be viewed at The Unjust Media, a jihadist website.
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