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Glite Dictionary
GSPC

GSPC

1 9.9
A group in Algeria that used violence to try to change the government and backed al-Qaeda
  • proper noun
  • NSFW
translation icon : GSPC
  • According to a GSPC communiqué, the change in leadership was designed to "reinforce the unity of the Salafist fighters and change the doctrinal and spiritual deviations that have occurred within the Armed Islamic Group."

Examples

  • In late May 1999, Hattab passed formal leadership of the GSPC to Abd al-Majid Dishu, his religious advisor and a specialist in sharia, so that he could focus on military operations.

    Academic text (2001)

  • The GSPC later declared allegiance to al-Qaida, changed its name to AQIM, and turned its southern wing into a money-making operation.

    Blog text (14)

  • Within the first year, the GSPC grew from 700 to 3,000 fighters.

    Academic text (2001)

  • The GSPC has recently morphed into a regional branch of al-Qaeda.

    Blog text (4)

  • The GSPC was formally announced later that year and quickly attracted dissidents from both the GIA and the AIS.

    Academic text (2001)

  • Significantly, the GSPC did not merge with Zarqawi's group, which was then the strongest Islamist militant group worldwide.

    Academic text (2011)

  • Instead, in late 2006, after a lengthy negotiation process, the GSPC merged with the central al-Qaeda organization, the most senior group, becoming its second branch, AQIM.

    Academic text (2011)

  • Zarqawi was also instrumental in convincing the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC) to join, even though it had more members than al Qaeda.

    Academic text (2011)

  • The GSPC was involved in numerous violent incidents during the Algerian Civil War.

  • In the early 2000s, the GSPC was known for its attacks against both military and civilian targets in Algeria.

Synonyms

Salafist Group
vsGSPC
  • NSFW
9.9

A former Algerian Islamist militant group that carried out terrorist attacks to try to overthrow the government

is the current name rather than the earlier title
Salafist Group for Call and Combat
vsGSPC
  • NSFW
9.9

An Algerian extremist Islamist group that split from another militant group and tried to overthrow the government while supporting al-Qaeda

is mainly focused on activity inside a single country rather than regional operations

Surface Forms

GSPC main

Morphology

GSPC = G + S + P + C

This is an initialism (acronym) whose component letters do not convey the meaning to learners, so knowing the letters does not help derive the group's meaning.

Etymology

GSPC is a short form from French for Groupe Salafiste pour la Prédication et le Combat, which means 'Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat'. That's why GSPC is the short name for that Algerian Islamist militant group.