Incident Summary:
9/3/2007: Al-Qa ida in the Lands of the Islamic Maghreb (AQLIM) members invaded the town Henchir El-Hoshas, Algeria, and slit the throat of an Algerian civilian identified as H. S. Before fleeing, the assailants booby-trapped the victim's home with land minds and homemade bombs. When combined Algerian security forces arrived at the victim's residence the bombs detonated. Two Algerian soldiers, two municipal guardsmen, and one Algerian militia member were killed by the blasts.
Overview
GTD ID:
200709030009
When:
2007-09-03
Country:
Algeria
Region:
Middle East & North Africa
Province/administrative
region/u.s. state:
Tébessa
City:
Henchir El-Hoshas
Location Details:
25 KM from Bir El-Ater
What
Attack Information
Type of Attack () |
Bombing/Explosion |
Successful Attack? () |
Yes |
Target Information ()
Target Type: Military |
Name of Entity |
Algerian security forces |
Specific Description |
Combined Algerian security forces consisting of soldiers, municipal guardsmen, and militiamen, responding to an attack in Henchir El-Hoshas. |
Nationality of Target |
Algeria |
Target Type: Private Citizens & Property |
Name of Entity |
Algerian civilian in Henchir El-Hoshas |
Specific Description |
H. S. |
Nationality of Target |
Algeria |
Additional Information
Hostages |
No |
Ransom |
No |
Property Damage |
Unknown |
Extent of Property Damage |
Unknown |
Value of Property Damage |
Unknown |
How
Weapon Information
Type |
Sub-type |
Melee |
Knife or Other Sharp Object |
Explosives |
Land Mine |
Explosives |
Unknown Explosive Type |
Weapon Details |
Throat slit; land mines; homemade bombs |
Additional Information
Suicide Attack? | No |
Part of Multiple Incident? | No |
Criterion 1 () |
Yes |
Criterion 2 () |
Yes |
Criterion 3 () |
Yes |
Doubt Terrorism Proper () |
No |
Additional Information |
The perpetrators burst into Henchir El-Hoshas at 10:00 PM. It is unknown if H. S. was a random target or specifically chosen by AQLIM. Two days later, Algerian security forces bombed a cave in Tébessa where the suspected assailants were believed to be hiding. Seven alleged militants were killed. |
Who
Perpetrator Statistics
Number of Perpetrators |
Unknown |
Number of Captured Perpetrators |
0 |
Casualty Information
Total Number of Casualties |
6 Fatalities / 0 Injured |
Total Number of Fatalities |
6 |
Number of U.S. Fatalities |
0 |
Number of Perpetrator Fatalities |
0 |
Total Number of Injured |
0 |
Number of U.S. Injured |
0 |
Number of Perpetrators Injured |
0 |
Sources
Sources
Hafid M., "In a Booby-Trapped House in Tébessa: Two Soldiers and Three Municipal Guards Killed," Algiers Liberte, September 5, 2007. |
Aomar Ouali, "Algeria: 7 Militants Killed," USA Today, September 5, 2007. |
Criteria
Criteria 1
The act must be aimed at attaining a political, economic, religious, or social goal. In terms of economic goals, the exclusive pursuit of profit does not satisfy this criterion. It must involve the pursuit of more profound, systemic economic change.
Criterion 2
There must be evidence of an intention to coerce, intimidate, or convey some other message to a larger audience (or audiences) than the immediate victims. It is the act taken as a totality that is considered, irrespective if every individual involved in carrying out the act was aware of this intention. As long as any of the planners or decision-makers behind the attack intended to coerce, intimidate or publicize, the intentionality criterion is met.
Criterion 3
The action must be outside the context of legitimate warfare activities. That is, the act must be outside the parameters permitted by international humanitarian law (particularly the prohibition against deliberately targeting civilians or non-combatants.
Doubt Terrorism Proper
The existence of a "Yes" for "Doubt Terrorism Proper?" records reservation, in the eyes of GTD analysts, that the incident in question is truly terrorism. Such uncertainty, however, was not deemed to be sufficient to disqualify the incident from inclusion into the GTD. Furthermore, such a determination of doubt is subsequently coded by GTD analysts as conforming to one of four possible alternative designations: 1) Insurgency/Guerilla Action; 2) Internecine Conflict Action; 3) Mass Murder; or 4) Purely Criminal Act.
Alternate Designation
The determination of "yes" for "Doubt Terrorism Proper" by GTD analysts is coded as conforming to one of four possible alternative designations: 1) Insurgency/Guerilla Action; 2) Internecine Conflict Action; 3) Mass Murder; or 4) Purely Criminal Act.
Successful Attack
Success of a terrorist strike is defined according to the tangible effects of the attack. For example, in a typical successful bombing, the bomb detonates and destroys property and/or kills individuals, whereas an unsuccessful bombing is one in which the bomb is discovered and defused or detonates early and kills the perpetrators. Success is not judged in terms of the larger goals of the perpetrators. For example, a bomb that exploded in a building would be counted as a success even if it did not, for example, succeed in bringing the building down or inducing government repression.
Type of Attack
This field captures the general method of attack and often reflects the broad class of tactics used. It consists of the following nine categories:
- Assassination
- Armed Assault
- Unarmed Assault
- Bombing/Explosion
- Hijacking
- Hostage taking (Barricade Incident)
- Hostage taking (Kidnapping)
- Facility / Infrastructure Attack
- Unknown
Target Information
This field captures the general type of target. It consists of the following 22 categories:
- Abortion Related
- Airports & Airlines
- Business
- Government (General)
- Government (Diplomatic)
- Educational Institution
- Food or Water Supply
- Journalists & Media
- Maritime (includes Ports and Maritime facilities)
- Military
- NGO
- Other
- Police
- Private Citizens & Property
- Religious Figures/Institutions
- Telecommunication
- Terrorists
- Tourists
- Transportation (other than aviation)
- Unknown
- Utilities
- Violent Political Parties