Algeria hit by surge in guerrilla violence

[Al-khiyal]

Lutte antiterroriste :
Le général-major Ahmed Gaïd Salah en visite surprise à Tizi Ouzou

Mercredi 6 Janvier 2010 -- Le chef d’état-major de l’Armée nationale populaire (ANP), le général Ahmed Gaid Salah, est arrivé, mercredi 6 janvier dans la matinée, à Tizi Ouzou pour une visite surprise dans la wilaya. Dès son arrivée, il s’est rendu au siège du secteur militaire de la ville de Tizi Ouzou où il a présidé une réunion avec les responsables locaux des forces de sécurité consacrée à la lutte contre l’ex-GSPC, devenu Al-Qaïda au Maghreb islamique (AQMI). Un impressionnant dispositif sécuritaire terrestre, appuyé par des hélicoptères au ciel, a été déployé pour sécuriser l’itinéraire emprunté par la délégation militaire. Selon nos informations, le général-major Gaid Salah est à Tizi Ouzou pour évaluer le plan sécuritaire mis en application il y a plus de six mois suite à de nombreuses actions terroristes contre les forces de sécurité dans la région. Des changements et de nouvelles mesures pourraient être annoncés à l’occasion de cette visite. Le chef d’état-major de l’armée, lors de sa dernière visite d’inspection dans la région, avait en effet insisté sur l’obligation de résultats. Depuis, les forces de sécurité ont certes enregistré des succès sur le terrain, avec l’élimination de nombreux terroristes et la réduction du nombre d’attaques. Mais sur le terrain, la situation est loin d’être maîtrisée : les groupes armés possèdent encore des capacités de nuisance. C’est la seconde visite du général-major Gaïd Salah à Tizi Ouzou, en six mois, après celle effectuée le 19 juillet dernier au lendemain de l’assassinat de deux militaires par des terroristes dans la région de Takhoukht au sud est de la wilaya. ll s’était rendu à Tizi Ouzou pour la première fois le 17 septembre 2008, après la vague d’attentats suicides du GSPC.

[Al-khiyal]

Bouira :
Un ingénieur kidnappé à Djebahia

Algerian working for Canadian firm kidnapped: reports

ALGIERS, January 6, 2010 (Reuters) -- Armed insurgents in Algeria have kidnapped an Algerian engineer working for Canadian construction firm SNC-Lavalin, two local newspapers reported on Wednesday citing unnamed security sources. The man was kidnapped by a group of armed men on Monday morning in the Bouira region, about 150 km (90 miles) southeast of the Algerian capital, the El Watan and Le Soir d'Algerie newspapers reported. There was no confirmation of the reports from Algerian officials, and no comment was immediately available from the Canadian firm. The newspapers said the man had been working on a project to build a water treatment plant in the Bouira region and that he was seized on his way to work. They said security forces had launched an operation to find him. Insurgents affiliated with al Qaeda carry out sporadic bombings and kidnappings in Algeria, though the level of violence has subsided dramatically in the past few years. SNC-Lavalin is one of the biggest foreign players in Algeria's infrastructure sector. Its projects in the North African country include water desalination plants, gas treatment facilities and housing construction. Seven police who were killed in an insurgent attack in October last year were part of a unit escorting private security contractors working for the Canadian company, local media reported at the time. Both the October attack and Monday's reported kidnapping happened in the Kabylie region, a mountainous area which al Qaeda militants have used as a stronghold.

[Al-khiyal]

Bouira :
Un ingénieur kidnappé à Djebahia

Neufs terroristes arrêtés à Alger

Engineer for Canadian company kidnapped in Algeria

January 6, 2010 -- Armed terrorists in Algeria's Bouira province kidnapped an Algerian employee of Canadian company SNC-Lavalin, El Watan reported on Wednesday (January 6th). The engineer was seized early Sunday while heading to work at a water-treatment project in Djebahia. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the kidnapping. In related news, Algerian security services arrested nine suspected terrorists in the Bouzria neighbourhood of Algiers, Tout sur l'Algérie reported on Tuesday. Cars, explosives and electronic devices were seized during the operation. According to security sources, the unnamed suspects had previously received heavy prison sentences for terrorist activities.

[Al-khiyal]

SNC-Lavalin worker kidnapped in Algeria

MONTREAL, January 6, 2010 — Montreal's SNC-Lavalin Group Inc. confirmed Wednesday that an Algerian employee was kidnapped by a group of five armed gunmen in Djebahm, 150 kilometres southeast of Algiers, on Sunday. He was on his way to work at a large company-managed water treatment project when the gunmen struck and took him away in a car. His task was to inspect a pipeline connecting the water treatment plant to the local distribution system. "We reported the incident to the local authorities immediately and they are co-ordinating the investigation and efforts to ensure his release," said Leslie Quinton, spokesperson for SNC-Lavalin in Montreal. "We've taken all possible measures to ensure the safety of all our personnel in Algeria." Late October, a group of Algerian employees was ambushed by terrorists near Algiers and seven were killed. SNC-Lavalin has extensive infrastructure construction contracts in several regions of Algeria.

[Al-khiyal]

Mort dans un attentat à Tizi Ouzou :
Le colonel Fateh Benzelikha enterré dans l’indifférence totale

Jeudi 7 Janvier 2010 -- Fateh Benzelikha, 44 ans, colonel à l’ANP, a trouvé la mort, il y a trois jours, dans un attentat terroriste perpétré à Tizi Ouzou, dans la région de Yakouren. Il a été inhumé hier au cimetière central de Constantine dans l’indifférence totale. Les représentants de l’Etat et les autorités locales ont brillé par leur absence à l’enterrement, tuant une seconde fois ce valeureux martyr du devoir, qui n’a pas hésité à sacrifier sa vie pour la patrie. Comment expliquer ce mépris affiché à l’encontre d’un enfant du pays qui a perdu la vie dans l’explosion d’une bombe actionnée à distance, alors même qu’il tentait d’en désamorcer une autre ? L’Histoire, elle, saura lui donner la place de choix qu’il mérite, parmi les plus grands. Il a laissé derrière lui deux orphelins et une famille inconsolables.

[Al-khiyal]

Bouira :
Un ingénieur kidnappé à Djebahia

Algerian kidnappers release SNC-Lavalin worker unharmed

MONTREAL, January 8, 2010 — Algerian authorities are conducting an intense investigation after an SNC-Lavalin engineer was released from captivity four days after he was kidnapped by armed insurgents. The Canadian engineering giant says the unidentified worker was freed late Thursday, but declined to provide additional details because of an investigation by government officials in the North African country. "He's definitely been released and he's safe and sound," SNC-Lavalin spokeswoman Leslie Quinton said in an interview. "There's an investigation as you can imagine of fairly great proportions happening."

Citing unnamed sources, Algerian newspaper Le Temps d'Algérie described the victim as a 40-year-old father of two from the town of Tizi Ouzou. They say no ransom was paid but the kidnappers had demanded one billion centimes (C$143,500) from the victim's family. The engineer was kidnapped on the way to work at a water treatment plant in Djebahia, about 150 kilometres southeast of the capital, Algiers. The driver of the vehicle carrying the SNC worker was released during the kidnapping.

SNC-Lavalin has operated in the North African country for more than 40 years, but recently has been forced to beef up security following attacks that killed several of its employees. The company said it has taken all necessary measures to ensure the safety of its employees and intends to continue working in Algeria. The water treatment project the engineer had been working on is nearing completion.

SNC's operations have twice been targeted by militants, killing 19 people in recent years. Algerian security officials say private security guards working for SNC were ambushed east of the Algerian capital last October, killing seven and injuring two. And a suicide bomber in August 2008 killed 12 Algerians on a bus heading to work at the Koudiat Acerdoune water treatment plant that the company was building.

SNC-Lavalin has a large presence in Algeria, helping the oil-rich country build water, power and infrastructure facilities. It is one of the world's largest engineering and construction companies with offices in more than 35 countries and operations in about 100 countries. On the Toronto Stock Exchange, SNC's shares gained 83 cents at $52.52 in trading Friday afternoon.

[Al-khiyal]

Algerian kidnappers release SNC-Lavalin worker unharmed

Libération d'un ingénieur algérien de SNC-Lavalin enlevé par un groupe armé

Samedi 9 Janvier 2010 -- Un ingénieur algérien travaillant pour la firme d'ingénierie canadienne SNC-Lavalin a été libéré jeudi soir "sain et sauf" après avoir été enlevé le 3 janvier près de Bouira par un groupe armé, a indiqué samedi à l'AFP une responsable de la société. "Notre ingénieur a été libéré tard ce jeudi passé sain et sauf, et nous sommes très soulagés", a indiqué Leslie Quinton, porte-parole à Montréal de SNC Lavalin dans un mail transmis à l'AFP. "Je n'ai pas d'autres détails pour le moment parce que ce sont les autorités locales (algériennes) qui sont responsables pour l'investigation actuellement en cours", a-t-elle ajouté.