meghan+GIA

An Islamic extremist group, the GIA aims to overthrow the secular Algerian regime and replace it with an Islamic state. The GIA began its violent activity in 1992 after Algiers voided the victory of the Islamic Salvation Front, the largest Islamic opposition party.
 * Armed Islamic Group “GIA” **


 * __Strength __**: Precise numbers unknown, probably fewer than 100
 * __Location/Area of Operation: __**Algeria and Europe.
 * __Goals and Objectives: __**
 * overthrow the secular Algerian regime and replace it with an Islamic state
 * As G.I.A broadened the organization suffered from many  disagreements about the right interpretation of Islam, the leadership and the policy and suffered all the time from withdrawal of small groups that disagreed with the leadership.
 * __Why the U.S. has been the target of so much terrorism both domestically and internationally? __**They are supported by Al Qaeda, who justifies the violent actions of the Armed Islamic Group. GIA has conducted multiple mass killings of civilians and assassinations of Algerian leaders. While present in areas such as Yemen, the GIA reportedly does not target the U.S. directly. However, it is possible that GIA splinter movements or personnel may become involved in anti-U.S. action. The GIA has members in Europe that provide funding, but mostly engages in criminal activity to raise funds. This affects the US because of our relationship with Europe.
 * How does religion impact this group? **The GIA announced that it intended to start a war of genocide to ethnically cleanse the country of all Jews, Christians, and Polytheists. During 1996 the GIA kidnapped and killed seven Roman Catholic monks, and murdered the Roman Catholic Bishop of Oran. Their goal is to create an ideal Islamic Nation and to destroy all those who don’t follow or practice Islamic customs.
 * Recent Attacks: **<span style="font-family: 'century gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 15px;">The U.S. State Department dates the GIA's last significant terrorist attack to 2001, but this is debated. Some sources attribute the group with unclaimed terrorist attacks up until 2005. In 2004, Algerian police forces launched a widespread crackdown (PDF) on all local terrorist groups. Over four hundred members of both the GIA and the Salafists were arrested in that sweep.