بسم اهلل الرمحن الرحيم Translation Section Presents English Translation of the Statement of Al- Qaeda Organization in the Islamic Maghreb entitled A Statement to the French people in general and the families of the French hostages in particular Jumada Al-Awwal 1434 A.H March 2013 2
A Statement to the French people in general and the families of the French hostages in particular Peace will be upon him who follows the guidance The whole world is still following the aggression of crusader France on Muslim Mali, pushed by the hidden historical hatred and its colonial greed to plunder the riches of the Muslims, despite of the warnings of the mujahidin to execute the French hostages, as a just retribution for the blatant aggression of France on our land, and it s killing of our peaceful sons in their homes. The mujahidin expressed in many occasions their intention to finding a just solution for the hostages issue, but the French government remained procrastinating and evades from its responsibility towards its citizens, and began pushing the mujahidin to execute them by its attempt to rescue them militarily, which are attempts that failed in many times from the great Sahara to Somalia. The desire of the French politicians from the Left to the Right to get rid of the issue of their hostages held by the organization, and the they are still moving towards the worst solution, which is the execution of the hostages by the indiscriminate bombing or by the hands of the mujahidin, which indeed happened on 10 March 2013, when the mujahidin were forced to implement their threat of eliminating the spy Philippe Verdon, who was held by the mujahidin for more than two years, as a response for the occupation of Muslim Mali and targeting the bases of the mujahidin. The insistence of the French government to occupy Mali and rescue the hostages by force, is not in the interest of the French people or the interest of the hostages, because the youth of Islam will turn all of Africa to a swamp where the French army will sink in it, and a hell where it will be impossible for the French companies to remain, and the wise men of France have to rectify the mistakes of their arrogant politicians and stop them before it is too late, because the era of direct and indirect occupation has gone never to return Allah willing. We followed with great interest the demonstrations of the hostages in the major French cities, and we liked to point out for them the following: 1. Your sons the hostages held by the organization are still to the writing of this statement safe, except for the spy Philippe Verdon which the organization declared that it killed him in revenge for our children and women in northern Mali, but we cannot guarantee their safety 3
forever due to the assault of your government and the attacks of your army on the locations of the mujahidin. 2. Despite of blatant aggression of France on our land, the mujahidin are still seeking for a just solution for the issue of the hostages away from the policy of force that failed in the previous attempts that claimed the lives French hostages in Mali and Somalia and today the spy Philippe Verdon. 3. Your government remained lying on you and accusing the mujahidin of cutting the communication through the known mediators and jeopardized the lives of your sons by its reckless policy, and its desperate attempt to liberate them in a method that proved its failure. 4. We bear the French government the full responsibility for the lives of your sons the hostages held by the organization. 5. The organization keeps the right of just retribution from all the French, for what occurred and occurs to the Muslims in Mali from the oppression and aggression of the oppressive French government and its aggressive army, because you freely elected your government. 6. We warn the French people from the consequences of its oppressive government continuous occupation of Mali, and plunder of the riches of the Muslims in all Muslim Africa. 7. We advice the families of the hostages and the French people to put pressure on president Hollande and his government, to withdraw his army from Mali, and leave the Muslims alone to choose freely the methodology of their lives as they choose the methodology of their lives. 8- Security in the world today is a wholly issue that cannot be fragmented, either you leave us safe in our land, or we will squander your security as you squander our security, so good for good, and who begins is more generous and evil for evil and who begins is more oppressive. The Almighty says: (And whoso defendeth himself after he hath suffered wrong - for such, there is no way (of blame) against them -41- The way (to blame) is only against those who oppress men and revolt in the earth unjustly; these shall have a painful punishment -42-) Surah Ash-Shura. Wa Sala Allah Ala Sayyidna Mohammed wa ala Alhi wa Sahbihi wa Salam. Al-Andalus Media Published on Thursday 16 Jumada Al-Awwal 1434 A.H. corresponding 28 March 2013 4
Greetings from your brethren At (Furasn Al-Balagh Media) Forget us not and the Mujahideen from your Du'a 5