The Algerian terrorists who staged the Charlie Hebdo massacre are being linked to ISIS and al Qaeda, and Algeria claims they warned France of an impending terrorist attack before it took place.
In a related report by the Inquisitr , one of the Algerian terrorists named Cherif Kouachi was an aspiring rapper before he began his terror training in Yemen. He was so much into his music that he headbutted a neighbor for playing “infidel” pop music .
Witnesses say the Algerian terrorists were quite open with their terrorist affiliations during the Charlie Hebdo attack. They were heard shouting “Allahu Akbar” (God is great) as they shot their way down the streets near the Charlie Hebdo building. Witnesses also say they told onlookers, “You can tell the media that it’s al Qaeda in Yemen.”
Members of the al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) also posted a video praising the Charlie Hebdo massacre. A spokesman for the Yemen-based al Qaeda group told CBS News , “The leadership of AQAP directed the operation, and they have chosen their target carefully.”
Said and Cherif Kouachi were orphaned by their Algerian-immigrant parents as children and grew up in the city of Rennes. Cherif was convicted in 2008 of terrorism charges for helping funnel jihadist fighters from France to Iraq. The Algerian terrorist served only 18 months in prison, and the remaining 18 months of his sentence was suspended. Cherif was a part of the 19th arrondissement network, which derived its name from a North African neighborhood where it’s based. According to reports, Kouachi was inspired to join the Muslim terrorist group due to the stories of the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuses.
Members of the Islamic state have also been leaving many Twitter posts indicating support for the Paris shooting suspects. One ISIS member on Twitter even claimed the Charlie Hebdo shooting “proves that the Islamic State can strike deep in Europe whenever it wishes.” It’s also believed grocery store gunman Amedy Coulibaly had direct ties with ISIS, and also knew the Algerian terrorists. Authorities are still not certain if the Charlie Hebdo attack was directly coordinated with other actions, although they do share common ties. It’s believed one of the Kouachi brothers may have met Coulibaly while in jail.
In addition, a newspaper in Algeria reports that Algerian intelligence services warned the French government about a potential major terrorist operation the day before the Charlie Hebdo massacre. According to the Los Angeles Times , counter-terrorism experts note that France has to track more than 1,000 French citizens connected to al Qaeda and ISIS while about 100 Americans have attempted to join the Muslim terrorist groups. French officials didn’t see any signs that Kouachi was planning an attack and as a result reduced Kouachi’s case to a lower priority for surveillance in 2014.