Kamal Guendoz
Kamal Guendoz was born on November 18, 1963, in Algeria. He was charged under Article 270 bis of the Italian Penal Code for his involvement in establishing a logistical support network for the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC), which is linked to the international terrorist organization Al-Qaeda, but he managed to escape. Kamal and his associates, including Halimi Djaelloul, Toubal Abdelkader, Khellili Fatah, and Yahiaou Abdelmadjid, were allegedly engaged in a conspiracy to commit acts of violence against the Algerian state and international terrorism. He organized and led the association, indoctrinating its members and issuing directives aimed at achieving their goals. Members of the group were involved in procuring false documents, recruiting additional members, raising funds for their activities, providing financial support and legal assistance to immigrants, acquiring weapons through transnational criminal networks, and preparing the means necessary for executing their terrorist agenda.
Kamal had previously been investigated during the “Mosque Investigation” conducted in 1994 and 1995, which uncovered a logistical support network for fundamentalist activities in Algeria operating in Italy. This investigation revealed an international arms trafficking operation benefiting the GIA. At that time, Kamal was reportedly involved in shipping vehicles to Algeria to facilitate various illegal activities, including supplying false documents for mujahideen fighters to provide them with cover identities, often relying on corrupt customs officials. Intercepted communications indicated that he shared and endorsed terrorist methodologies and expressed complete adherence to the extremist ideology of Hassan Hattab, the founder and leader of the GSPC, while rejecting any notion of repentance or collaboration with Algerian authorities. Additionally, Kamal managed a butcher shop under the supervision of Lounici Djamel, a prominent figure in the terrorist association.
Between October 2001 and June 2005, Kamal’s organization operated primarily in Naples, Aversa, Milan, and Vicenza, establishing an Italian cell dedicated to international terrorism, originating from the disintegration of the Islamic Salvation Front (FIS). This cell focused on recruitment, procuring false documents, and raising funds. Investigations, primarily through extensive wiretapping and surveillance, revealed that the organization was deeply rooted in Algeria, where it conducted a violent and bloody campaign against the state, employing actions of terrorism designed to instill fear in the population. The organization displayed a complex structure, with various factions and branches not only in Algeria but also in countries like Italy, Belgium, Spain, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. These cells worked together to consolidate support among Algerian expatriates, secure funding, recruit personnel for operations in Algeria, and establish safe houses for individuals involved in combat or subject to legal actions in their home countries.
The cell associated with the GIA-GSPC likely originated in Naples, where it maintained its operational center. From this base, funds collected in various Italian cities were transferred to Algeria to support jihadist fighters through an organized transport system along the Naples-Marseille route. The group also procured essential identity documents, which were produced by various forgers to be used for clandestine travel. Another significant activity of the cell was obtaining propaganda material to incite and prepare for Islamic jihad among Muslim Arabs residing in Italy. Intercepted conversations revealed references to a “national reconciliation” project, essentially an amnesty for militants considered illegal by Algerian authorities. Within the organization, there was a division between those advocating negotiations with authorities and a more hardline faction in Milan that consistently rejected any notion of compromise, insisting on the violent promotion of radical Islamic principles.
Kamal faces additional charges under Articles 476, 477, and 468 of the Italian Penal Code for conspiring with Khellili Fatah and Yahiaou Abdelmadjid, among others, to produce counterfeit identity documents, such as passports, driver’s licenses, and residence permits, by affixing false seals of public entities responsible for their issuance. He is also charged under Article 648 for receiving or acquiring genuine documents obtained through illicit means for the purpose of counterfeiting them for profit. These crimes were committed in Naples, Caserta, Vicenza, and Milan from November 11, 2001, until September 30, 2003.
In 2011, the Public Prosecutor sought an eight-year prison sentence for Kamal, emphasizing the seriousness of his charges, particularly as a leader of the association. The Court of Assizes in Naples ultimately sentenced him to five years in prison and ordered his expulsion from Italy, although he was acquitted of one charge due to insufficient evidence.
