News from Algeria 2007

[Al-khiyal]

DUBAI AFX - Al-Qaeda's branch in North Africa claimed responsibility for a attack on Russian gas workers in Algeria, in an internet message, saying it was to avenge Russia's actions in Chechnya.

'Mujahedeen (Islamic warriors) using a high intensity bomb targeted the convoy of Russian infidels working for the Russian company Stroytransgaz,' according to the statement signed by the Al-Qaeda Organisation in the Maghreb.

A Russian engineer and three Algerians were killed and five other people wounded in the bomb attack on their bus on Saturday at Hayoun, near Ain Defla in southern Algeria.

The Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC) has, since last September, taken on the name of Osama bin Laden's terror network for North Africa.

'We dedicate this modest conquest to our Muslim brothers in Chechnya ... victims of the criminal (Russian President Vladimir) Putin,' it said in the statement posted on an Islamist site often used by Al-Qaeda.

The bus was carrying employees of the Russian firm, who were laying gas mains between Ain Defla, in the region of Medea, and Tiaret, 340 kilometres southwest of the capital, the Algerian newspaper El-Khabar reported.

The attack was the second claimed by the GSPC in recent months against foreigners based in Algeria, long troubled by Islamic extremist violence.

Last December one person was killed and nine injured in an attack on a bus carrying staff of the Brown and Root Condor (BRC) company, a subsidiary of the Algerian Sonatrach oil company and of US construction firm Halliburton.

The Algerian driver died, and a US citizen, four Britons, a Canadian, two Lebanese and an Algerian were among the injured.

The GSPC, a small armed group formed by dissidents of the Islamic Armed Group, is the only remaining group from the radical movements that waged an insurgency against the secular Algerian state from 1992.

Al-Qaeda claims deadly attack on Russians in Algeria

[Al-khiyal]

In what appears to be an attempt to appeal to Algerian military and security forces, Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (formerly the Salafist Group for Call and Combat) has called on “all who have been caught up in assisting the enemy in fighting against Islam and the mujahideen” to stop supporting the current Algerian regime and repent. The Emir of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, Abu Musab Abdel Wadud offers amnesty to those who do repent, stating that those repenting “will not be chastised for what he did when he had been fighting.”

In the communiqué, “Call To Repent And Stop Assisting The Heretics,” released to jihadist forums, on March 4, 2007, Abdel Wadud attacks the Algerian government, arguing, “All its plans have failed and led the nation toward material and cultural bankruptcy. It gave its allegiance to the historical enemies of the nation, Jews and Christians. All this lies between outright despotism and pronounced heresy.”

The group threatens with death those joining the military and promises, “the verdict of men who continue to belong to the military establishment is death.” Abdel Wadud does offer a way out for current soldiers, promising that they will “not chastise men who have ended their military service and no longer have any connection to the military establishment.”

Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb threatens Algerian military and offers amnesty to those who repent

[Al-khiyal]

ALGIERS — President Abdul Aziz Bouteflika of Algeria yesterday received the credentials of Ali bin Abdullah Al Alawi, who presented his credentials as the Sultanate’s extraordinary and plenipotentiary ambassador to Algeria.

The ambassador conveyed to the president the greetings of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said along with His Majesty’s best wishes of further progress and prosperity to the sisterly Republic of Algeria under the wise leadership of the Algerian president.

In his turn, President Abdul Aziz Bouteflika asked the ambassador to convey his brotherly greetings to His Majesty the Sultan and praised the wise policy of His Majesty which had enabled the Sultanate to take its distinguished position.

During the meeting, ways of strengthening bilateral relations between the two brotherly countries and matters of common concern were reviewed.

Oman's Sultan Qaboos bin Said's greetings conveyed to Algerian president

[Al-khiyal]

A delegation of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), headed by Marie-Angélique Savané, arrived in Algiers on Sunday (March 4th) to finalise Algeria's self-monitoring report. The country has voluntarily acceded to APRM, which encourages African Union countries to adopt policies, standards and practices leading to political stability, development and integration. The delegation will meet with government officials, representatives of civil society, employers' organisations, trade unions, media, and all other groups that took part in the national report. It will be submitted to APRM together with a draft action plan.

African Peer Review Mechanism delegation arrives in Algeria to finalise assessment

[Al-khiyal]

ALGIERS, March 5 (KUNA) -- European Parliament President Hans-Gert Poettering said Monday the European Union (EU) was willing to contribute to Algeria's modern development.

This was announced in a release issued by the EU representative office in Algiers, calling on Algeria to continue its development efforts through collective and close cooperation with other Arab Maghreb countries.

Poettering, in the release, called for supporting Algeria's efforts in the fields of modern development and fight against terrorism.

He added that he was impressed by the strong desire of Algerian President Abdulaziz Bouteflika and other Algerian leaders whom he had met on several occasions to establish democracy in the country and modernize its national economy.

He hailed European-Algerian political dialogue as very important, noting that Algeria counts in its development on its stupendous resources, the release added.

Poettering, from Germany, took over as president of the European Parliament on January 16, 2006, succeeding Jozep Borrell from Spain.

EU willing to help in Algeria's development - top EU lawmaker

[Al-khiyal]

Algerian minister says attack on Russians timed before May legislative vote

[Al-khiyal]

Tuesday, March 6, 2007 - - An Algerian national died in Dublin after he collapsed outside his home with a high level of carbon monoxide in his system that remains unexplained, an inquest has heard...

Algerian died on footpath, inquest hears