Nabil Sahraoui | |
---|---|
Born | 26 September 1969 Batna, Algeria |
Died | 20 June 2004 (aged 34) Béjaïa Province, Algeria |
Allegiance |
GSPC Al-Qaeda |
Years of service | ?–2004 |
Rank | Emir of GSPC |
Battles/wars | Insurgency in the Maghreb |
Nabil Sahraoui (26 September 1969 – 20 June 2004), alias Mustapha Abou Ibrahim, was an Algerian Islamist militant, and the head of the radical Groupe Salafiste pour la Prédication et le Combat (GSPC, later renamed Al-Qaeda Organization in the Islamic Maghreb) from August 2003 until his death the following year.
Sahraoui was born in Batna, Algeria, on 26 September 1966. [1]
In 2003, Sahraoui replaced Hassan Hattab as the leader of the GSPC, since the latter was removed from the post due to his view that reconciliation with the government should be encouraged. [2] In October 2003, Sahraoui pledged allegiance as GSPC leader to both Osama bin Laden's Al Qaeda organization and to the Taliban leader Mohammed Omar. [3]
Sahraoui was killed in a shootout with the Algerian army in the Kabylie region on 20 June 2004 at age 34. [4] [5] [6] [7] His top aides were also killed in the military sweep. [8]
Sahraoui was replaced as head of the GSPC by Abu Musab Abdel Wadoud over the objections of former leader Hassan Hattab. [2]