Abu Dujana Al-Afghani Explained

Abu Dujana Al-Afghani, or Abu Nayaf al-Afghani was a claimed spokesperson for "Al-Qaeda of Europe" who demanded an end to Spanish support and involvement in the War on Terror. Abu Dujana claimed responsibility for the 2004 Madrid train bombings, as well as a failed train bombing the following month.[1] [2] [3]

Activities and identification

On 13 March 2004 a video was found by a mosque in Madrid in which Abu Dujana claimed responsibility for the 11 March Madrid train bombings on behalf of "Al-Qaeda in Europe", and on 3 April a letter was sent under the name to a Spanish news station, claiming responsibility for an attempted bombing of a train en route from Madrid to Seville on 2 April, and promising more attacks unless Spain withdrew from the War on Terror (Spain eventually withdrew following a general election that brought Socialists to power in April).[1] [2] [4] [5]

Abu Dujana has been speculated to be two people: Jamal Ahmidan "the Chinese" who was arrested after the attacks, or more likely Youssef Belhadj, a Moroccan based in Molenbeek, Belgium who in 2008 was found guilty of belonging to a terrorist group and sentenced to 12 years in prison, thought by Spanish authorities to be Abu Dujana.[4] [6] Belhajd, also thought to have been connected to the 2003 Casablanca bombings, was arrested in Belgium on 1 February 2005 and extradited to Spain.[7] [8] [9] Convicted after the Madrid bombings, Belhadj was the leader of a Belgian cell of the Moroccan Islamic Combatant Group (GICM) along with Hassan el-Haski.[10] [11] [12] [13]

Notes and References

  1. News: Spain Arrests Another In Train Bombings. The Washington Post. 6 April 2004.
  2. News: Letter Said to Be From Al Qaeda Threatens Spain. The New York Times. 6 April 2004.
  3. Book: Weimann, Gabriel. Virtual Training Camps: Terrorists use of the Internet. James JF. Forest. Teaching Terror: Strategic and Tactical Learning in the Terrorist World. https://books.google.com/books?id=1R79AAAAQBAJ&pg=PA130. 2006. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. 130. 9781461643968.
  4. News: 'El Chino' tenía un texto que urgía a reivindicar el 11-M para forzar el cambio de Gobierno. elmundo.es. 9 May 2007. Spanish.
  5. News: Security high for Spanish trains. CNN. 3 April 2004.
  6. News: Brussels attacks: Why jihadism thrives in suburb of Molenbeek. The Australian. 23 March 2016.
  7. News: Madrid bombings: Defendants. BBC. 17 July 2008.
  8. Book: M.R.. Haberfeld. Agostino. von Hassell. 2009. A New Understanding of Terrorism: Case Studies, Trajectories and Lessons Learned. Springer Science & Business Media. 192–193. 9781441901156.
  9. Web site: Suspected plot organisers Youssef Belhad.... Getty Images. 16 February 2007.
  10. News: Madrid suspects 'planned' attack in Belgium. Expatica News. 12 April 2006.
  11. News: Fernando. Reinares. The Evidence of Al-Qa'ida's Role in the 2004 Madrid Attack. Combating Terrorism Center. 22 March 2012. 18 August 2016. 13 June 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170613084420/https://www.ctc.usma.edu/posts/the-evidence-of-al-qaidas-role-in-the-2004-madrid-attack. dead.
  12. News: Fernando. Reinares. Jihadist Radicalization and the 2004 Madrid Bombing Network. Combating Terrorism Center. 3 November 2009. 18 August 2016. 20 September 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160920113724/https://www.ctc.usma.edu/posts/jihadist-radicalization-and-the-2004-madrid-bombing-network. dead.
  13. News: Madrid bombings: the defendants. The Guardian. 31 October 2007.

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