News from Algeria 2007

[Al-khiyal]

Algeria has declined to host the headquarter of the United State's Africa Command (Africom) which the pentagon is planning to create this year, the Algerian Daily la Jeune Independant reported on Wednesday.

The decision made by the Algerian government conforms to the principles which are against hosting foreign forces on its territory, according to the daily.

Following Algeria's refusal, America could request either Mali or Niger to host Africom headquarters, said the daily.

The Africom would oversee strategic developments and military operations across the entire continent, said the Pentagon.

Some observers estimate that the Americans are using this approach to boost their presence in Africa apart from the strengthening of the fight against terrorism.

Algeria declines to host U.S. African command: report

[Al-khiyal]

The referendum on the amendment of Algeria's constitution will take place in 2007, Prime Minister Abdelaziz Belkhadem announced in Algiers on Wednesday.

"The referendum was not cancelled but rather postponed, I can assure you that consultations on this matter will take place this year," Belkadem, who is also the secretary general of National Liberation Front (FLN) announced during a press conference.

In July 2005, Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika had expressed his wish to see the referendum on the amendment of the constitution organized before the end of 2006, without giving a precise date.

However, In early November 2006, Algerian Interior Minister Yazid Zerhouni announced that "it would be difficult to hold a referendum on the amendment of Algeria's constitution before the end of 2006", explaining that 2007 was a busy election year.

Legislative and municipal election in Algeria is scheduled to take place during the months of May and October.

According to the press, the amendment of the current constitution is aimed at enhancing the president's power as well as putting an end to the current two presidential terms limit.

Referendum on amendment of Algeria's constitution set for 2007

[Al-khiyal]

EkoTürk News Agency / Ankara, 4 January 2007 - - Iran has begun export by rail of the first consignment of Peugeot 206SD cars to Turkey, announced the Middle East’s largest carmaker Iran Khodro on Sunday.

Manouchehr Manteqi, managing director of Iran Khodro, told Fars that the Samand Rail Company, an Iran Khodro subsidiary in charge of the mother company’s rail transportation activities, has undertaken the initiative, adding that 206SD cars will also be exported via road transportation network.

He said that the rail consignment reaches Turkey in 20 days.

“Presently we are exporting 206SD cars to Turkey and Russia,“ he said, adding that the two countries would then re-export the Iran-made cars to Algeria, Bulgaria, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Romania, Tunisia and Ukraine.

The official said transit of cars by rail would ensure greater safety and reduce customs formalities, stressing that the giant French carmaker Peugeot’s representative oversees the transportation procedure.
In September, Iran Khodro and its main foreign partner, Peugeot, announced in a joint statement that the Iranian company has begun exporting Peugeot 206SD cars to international markets.....

Peugeot 206SD exports to Turkey begin

[Al-khiyal]

Warnings of terrorist attacks issued in western areas

[Al-khiyal]

Spain captures five Islamists linked to Madrid bombs

An Algerian who participated in the 2004 Madrid train bombings was planning to stage more attacks in Spain, the daily El Pais reported Thursday. The government said Wednesday police had detained five people on charges of helping two Moroccan suspects flee after the bombings, which killed 191 and injured more than 1,500 people on March 11, 2004.

A judicial investigation indicated that one of the detainees, Djilali Boussiri, had also maintained contacts with Daoud Ouhnane, 34, an Algerian whose fingerprints were found in places linked to the bombings.

Ouhnane fled after the attacks and is believed to be currently in Iraq, from where he called Boussiri.

Ouhnane had become one of the leaders of an Islamist network, which intended to carry out new attacks in Spain, according to the investigation.

Twenty-nine suspects face trial for the Madrid bombings early this year.

Madrid bomber "planned more attacks in Spain"

[Al-khiyal]

An Algerian woman committed suicide out of despair at the recent hanging of Iraqi former dictator Saddam Hussein, Algerian media reports said Thursday.

They said the 35-year-old leapt to her death from the window of her third-floor apartment days after lapsing into silence upon seeing television pictures of the hanging shown worldwide.

The reports said her parents had repeatedly main vain attempts to get her out of her depressed state.

Algerian woman's suicide "because of Saddam Hussein hanging"

[Al-khiyal]

Abdelmoumen Rafik Khalifa

ALGIERS (AFP) - A fraud trial involving more than 100 defendants in Algeria's biggest financial scandal since independence was due to open Monday, but the main defendant, a high-living tycoon, is currently exiled in London.

The accused, on trial before a court at Blida west of Algiers, will have to answer 30 charges including fraudulent bankruptcy, criminal association, abuse of trust, embezzlement, forgery and bribery.

The main charge concerns a sum of 3.2 billion dinars (320 million euros/420 million dollars) missing from the accounts of the Khalifa Bank following alleged irregularities in the management of deposits and failure to observe proper safety precautions in granting loans.

The main accused, Algerian tycoon Abdelmoumen Rafik Khalifa, will be tried in absentia.

The flamboyant billionaire who once had three villas in on the French Riviera, has been living in exile in London since 2003.

British authorities have not authorised his extradition despite recently signing an extradition agreement with Algeria, a former French colony which became independent in 1962.

Algerian authorities have issued an international warrant for Khalifa's arrest.

Penalties for those convicted could be as high as 10 years' jail.

Five accused have already been in custody for three years, 108 are provisionally at liberty and seven are fugitives.

Khalifa, 40, a pharmacist and son of a former minister in the government of Algeria's first post-independence president Ahmed Ben Bella, built up a business empire employing more than 20,000 over a period of five years between 1998 and 2003.

Khalifa Bank, Algeria's first privately owned bank, was the the hub of this empire with some 7,000 employees.

The group also comprised an airline, Khalifa Airways, and a television station in France.

The empire first started to crumble in 2003 at Algiers airport when three employees were arrested while allegedly trying to smuggle two million euros out of the country. Khalifa's group collapsed later that year.

Trial starts Monday in Algeria's biggest finance scandal