The origins, ideology and development of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb

Abstract

This paper examines the phenomenon of terrorism in the Sahel/Saharan regions of Africa by focusing on the principal terrorist organisation in that turbulent region – Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb or AQIM. The paper examines the origins of this murky organisation in Algeria in the 1990s, focusing on its development and its relationships with other militant organisations like that of Ansar Dine in Mali. The paper examines the development of AQIM from the perspective of Critical Terrorism Studies. As such the paper also examines the context in which the organisation has mutated. Finally, the paper concludes with some specific policy recommendations.