Algerian National Team News

[Al-khiyal]

Egyptian, Algerian FMs discuss ramifications of football crisis

CAIRO, November 20, 2009 (KUNA) -- Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmad Abul-Gheit received on Friday a phone call from his Algerian counterpart Mourad Medelci on the regrettable incidents that ensued from a World Cup qualifier between the football teams of the two countries, hosted by Khartoum on Wednesday. "During the conversation Minister Abul-Gheit expressed outcry about the violent attacks that targeted the Egyptian fans in Khartoum and the Egyptian interests in Algeria," spokesman of the Egyptian Foreign Ministry Hosam Zaki told reporters here. "Egypt can not allow any infringement on its Algerian interests or any attacks against the Algerian nationals on its soil. Egypt expects a similar treatment from the Algerian authorities in order to protect the friendly ties between the two nations," he quoted Abul-Gheit as telling "his Algerian brother." "The two ministers agreed that the mass media of the two countries as well as the Arab and foreign media outlets should be wise and practical enough while covering such sensitive incidents," the diplomat said. "The media outlets have to verify the news reports before issuing them and avoid fomenting the sentiments of the two nations," Zaki urged.

Friday's phone call followed violent attacks on Egyptian nationals and firms in Algeria over the last few days and the attacks on Egyptian fans in Khartoum after the Wednesday game as well as the attempts of some Egyptian citizens to attack Algeria's embassy in Cairo last night. Earlier today, Medelci called in Egypt Ambassador Abdulaziz Saifulnasr to probe the fomenting tension, according to an Algerian Foreign Ministry statement carried by Algeria Press Service (APS). The minister asked the ambassador to convey to the authorities of his country "Algeria's resentment at," and "profound concern over" the escalating media campaign in Egypt against Algeria. Medelci has expressed his hope that this media campaign "stops" as it "does not serve the interests of the two countries and the two peoples," the statement said. He also reminded that Algeria "has taken all the necessary measures for appeasement" before, during and after the two football encounters, and "has strengthened security to ensure protection of the Egyptian nationals and their possessions in Algeria," the statement added. Algeria qualified for the 2010 World Cup finals in South Africa after beating Egypt (1-0) in a playoff match in Khartoum.

[Al-khiyal]

هزيمة مصر تتسبب في أزمة دبلوماسية
الخرطوم تطالب القاهرة بتصحيح ما ورد من إساءة في حق السودان .. الشرطة: «3» بلاغات أذى بسيط وإجراءات ضد متهمين جزائريين

أدت تداعيات مباراة مصر والجزائر أمس الأول في تصفيات نهائيات كأس العالم لأزمة دبلوماسية بين السودان ومصر من جانب، والجزائر ومصر من جانب آخر. ففي الخرطوم استدعت وزارة الخارجية السفير المصري عفيفي عبد الوهاب وأبلغته احتجاجاً رسمياً بشأن اتهامات بعض وسائل الإعلام المصرية للسودان بالتقصير في حماية المشجعين الذين آزروا منتخب بلادهم في مباراته الفاصلة أمس الأول مع الجزائر فيما اعتذر وزير الاعلام المصري رسمياً عما ورد في بعض اجهزة الاعلام المصرية في حق السودان . وأبلغ كرتي السفير المصري، رفض السودان القاطع لهذا المسلك، وأشار الى أنهم كان عليهم عكس التجهيزات الكبيرة التي قام بها والخطة الأمنية التي نفذتها الحكومة لوسائل الإعلام المصرية. وأضاف أن أجهزة الإعلام اتخذت حادثة فردية ومعزولة ذريعة للإساءة للسودان.وقال علي كرتي «ان الأجهزة الأمنية بذلت جهداً مقدراً في تأمين المباراة بشهادة الجميع حتى وصلت إلى بر الأمان ومن المجحف أن نسمع مثل تلك الاتهامات عن حدوث تقصير». وطالب كرتي عفيفي بضرورة تصحيح الوضع. وقال له ان ذلك يمثل إساءة للشعب السوداني.

خطة محكمة

وأشاد مجلس الوزراء في اجتماعه الدوري أمس برئاسة المشير عمر البشير بالحكومة القومية وولاية الخرطوم والأجهزة الأمنية التي نفذت خطة مباراة منتخبى مصر والجزائر مما أوصلها لبر الأمان. وقال عمر محمد صالح الناطق الرسمي باسم مجلس الوزراء، وأبان أن الأجهزة الأمنية استطاعت أن تنفذ خطة أمنية محكمة، وأضاف أن كل التصريحات التي أدلى بها المسؤولون المصريون حتى لحظة مغادرتهم البلاد فجر أمس كانت إيجابية، وأشادت بالحكومة وجدية الأجهزة الأمنية في أداء عملها، من ناحيته اشاد مسؤول الأمن بالاتحاد الدولى لكرة القدم (فيفا) بالتنظيم الذي صاحب المباراة.

ثلاثة بلاغات

من ناحيته أعْلن الفريق محمد عبد المجيد الطيب الناطق الرسمي باسم قوات الشرطة، نجاح الخطة الأمنية التي وُضعت للمباراة دون خسائر في الأرواح أو بلاغات أذى جسيم ما عدا ثلاثة بلاغات أذى بسيط حدثت بسبب عدم التزام بعض المشجعين المصريين بطرق السير الموضوع لهم، معبراً عن أسفه للتصريحات السالبة للمصريين في القنوات المصرية الذين اتهموا فيها الشرطة السودانية بعدم المقدرة على توفير الحماية.وقال في مؤتمر صحفي أمس، إن تأمين الفريقين بالرغم من قصر الفترة الزمنية وجد اهتماماً كبيراً من المسؤولين بالدولة، مما يؤكد قدرة وقوة الشرطة في التخطيط والتنفيذ وذلك بمعاونة أجهزة الأمن والمخابرات والقوات المسلحة دون احتكاك جمهور الفريقين.وأكد الفريق محمد الحافظ حسن عطية، جاهزية وخبرة الشرطة السودانية في إنجاح أية مهمة توكل لها وقد أثبتت ذلك من خلال تأمينها للقمم التي عقدت بالخرطوم الشيء الذي جعلها تنجح في تأمين أكثر من (40) ألف متفرج شهدوا المباراة، وقال إنه تم القبض على متهمين جزائريين واتخذت ضدهم الإجراءات القانونية.

اعتراف مصري

وأجرى أنس الفقي وزير الإعلام المصري اتصالاً هاتفياً بالزهاوي إبراهيم مالك وزير الإعلام والاتصالات، اعتذر من خلاله عن أداء بعض أجهزة الإعلام المصرية واتهامها للسلطات في الخرطوم بعدم الحياد في تأمين الجماهير المصيرية. وأشاد الفقي بدور الأجهزة الأمنية في حماية البعثة بالخرطوم. من جهته أكد معتز مصطفى القنصل المصري في الخرطوم أن العلاقات السودانية المصرية أكثر عمقاً ومتانةً من أن تتأثر بأي حادث أو حديث، وشدد على الدور الإيجابي الذي اضطلعت به أجهزة الدولة السودانية كافة في الإعداد لمباراة مصر والجزائر وتأمينها، وأكد القنصل لـ «الرأي العام» على دور جهازي الأمن والشرطة، إلى جانب لجنة تأمين المباراة التي أحاطت السفارة المصرية بعملها، ووصف الخطة الأمنية التي نفذتها السلطات السودانية بالناجحة، وأضاف أنه لا توجد في العالم كله إجراءات مماثلة لناحية الكفاءة.

المصريون سالمون

إلى ذلك كلف الرئيس المصري حسنى مبارك، أحمد أبو الغيط وزير خارجيته، باستدعاء سفير الجزائر بالقاهرة كى ينقل له مطالبة مصر للجزائر بأن تتحمل مسؤولياتها فى حماية المواطنين المصريين الموجودين على أراضيها ومختلف المنشآت والمصالح المصرية بالجزائر.وقال بيان من الرئاسة المصرية أمس، إن مبارك عقد صباح أمس اجتماعاً موسعاً تابع خلاله تأمين عودة المواطنين المصريين وبعثة منتخب مصر القومي من السودان.وأضاف البيان أن مبارك اطمأن على عودة المواطنين المصريين دون أية خسائر فى الأرواح، وتلقى خلال الاجتماع تقارير الأجهزة المصرية حول ما تم من تنسيق مع السلطات السودانية ، الذين قال انهم بذلوا ما فى وسعهم من جهد مشكور للتصدى لأعمال العنف عقب المباراة.وقال البيان إن التقارير التى عرضت خلال الاجتماع اكدت عودة غالبية مواطني مصر سالمين.

المخابرات تُشيد

وأجرى اللواء عمر سليمان مدير المخابرات العامة المصرية اتصالاً هاتفياً مع الفريق مهندس محمد عطا المدير العام لجهاز الأمن والمخابرات الوطني أمس، نقل من خلاله خالص شكره وتقديره للإجراءات الكاملة التي اتخذتها السلطات الأمنية السودانية إزاء مباراة المنتخبين المصري والجزائري.وأكد سليمان في اتصاله عن عميق شكره للجهود التي وصفها بالجبّارة، التي قامت بها الأجهزة الأمنية بتوفير الحماية لبعثتي مصر والجزائر، ناقلاً تحايا وتقدير الرئيس مبارك للبشير للاهتمام الذي أولاه لأمن وسلامة البعثتين وتشريف البعثتين باللقاء بهما، وأكد سليمان عمق التعاون الوثيق بين الجهازين في المجالات كافة.من ناحيته أكد د. حاتم الجبلى وزير الصحة المصري، أن اصابات المشجعين المصريين فى السودان بسيطة وطفيفة، مشيراً إلى أنه أجرى اتصالاً بالمستشار الطبي لمصر فى السودان لمتابعة أحوال المشجعين المصريين بالسودان.

[Al-khiyal]

Le ministère des Affaires étrangères convoque l’ambassadeur d’Egypte à Alger

Football row drags on as Algeria summons Egypt envoy

ALGIERS, November 20, 2009 (Reuters) -- Algeria's foreign minister summoned Egypt's ambassador on Friday to reject accusations that his government failed to protect Egyptians from violent Algerian football fans during a tense World Cup play-off, state media said. Tension around crucial qualifying matches in Egypt on Saturday and in Sudan on Wednesday boiled over into minor confrontations between fans and a war of words in Egyptian and Algerian media that has strained ties between the two countries. On Thursday, Egypt's state-run EGYNews website said Cairo was recalling its ambassador for consultations over violence against Egyptians after Wednesday's match.

Algeria's Foreign Minister Mourad Medelci told Egypt's envoy of his government's "incomprehension and great preoccupation" over the "escalation of the media campaign" in Egypt, official Algerian news agency APS said. "Mr. Medelci expressed hope that an instant end will be put to this campaign which does not serve the interests of the two countries and the two peoples," APS cited the ministry as saying. It said Algeria had taken all necessary measures to calm the violence by fans and had reinforced security to protect Egyptian citizens and their property in Algeria.

Egypt won Saturday's game 2-0 in Cairo to leave the two teams level at the top of their qualifying group, but Algeria won the Khartoum play-off to secure a place in South Africa next year, the country's first appearance at the finals since 1986. Egypt complained before the Sudan play-off when Algerian fans trashed the Algiers headquarters of Egypt-based Orascom Telecom's mobile subsidiary. Algerian tax authorities then hit the unit with a $597 million (362 million pound) bill for outstanding taxes. Before that, Egyptian fans pelted the Algerian team's bus with stones, injuring players, and some fans were hurt in scuffles on the day of the Cairo qualifier. Demonstrators gathered for a second day near the Algerian embassy in Cairo on Friday to protest against what they said was violence against Egyptians.

[Al-khiyal]

Eighteen people killed, 312 injured in last night's celebrations in Algeria

ALGIERS, November 20, 2009 (KUNA) -- Eighteen people were killed and more than 300 people were injured, mostly in road accidents, during last night's celebrations after the win by the Algerian national football team against Egypt and qualification for the 2010 World Cup, an Algerian official source said on Friday. The Algerian Civil Defense director said in a statement that one of the most dangerous accidents occurred in Ouargla, south of Algeria capital, which resulted in the death of five people. The source added that vehicles' drivers who were celebrating the win were among those most injured, including those who cruised around local community roads and villages. The source said that there were other people who received medical health injuries and needed treatment after excitement and celebration.

[Al-khiyal]

Denials abound as riots engulf Egypt

CAIRO, November 20, 2009 -- Salem Ebeid continued shaking his head, even after footage of the damage and destruction on Cairo’s streets were placed in front of him. He said nothing of the sort had happened and this was the media’s attempt to foment “things that aren’t real.” No more than ten paces from where his fruit stand stood were dozens of Egyptian riot police, lining a barrier in front of the Algerian Embassy in Cairo. Tension reached a tipping point on Thursday night and violence ensued.

“No way, there was nothing going on. It is just a precaution that there are soldiers here. They’ve been here since before the match,” Ebeid told Bikya Masr on Friday evening, as around a dozen streets in the upper-class Zamalek neighborhood remained shut down after crazed Egyptian fans attacked, set fire and bludgeoned in windows of shops surrounding the Algerian Embassy. It was a response, they said, to Egyptian fans being attacked in Algeria and Sudan after the two teams played on Wednesday for the final spot in the World Cup.

Algeria won, but by the response of Egyptians, it would seem otherwise. After many victories, Egyptians take to the streets, waving flags and cheering on their national team. This time, it was following a loss that has left the Egyptians outside next year’s World Cup in South Africa. Near a major supermarket in the Zamalek enclave, a poster of what appeared to be an Algerian flag with anti-Algerian slogans painted across lay on the ground. “Run over the Algerians,” one man yelled at passing vehicles. “They don’t deserve our respect,” screamed another.

It was a sign of how far tensions between the Egyptians and the Algerians had gotten. Already, the Algerian Embassy had been firebombed and stones thrown at it. Violence between fans and police reached a tipping point in the early hours of Friday in clashes that left at least 11 police injured and fans forcibly turned away from the area. But, it didn’t stop Egyptians from trying again on Friday afternoon, shortly after the noon prayers. Cars could be seen streaming down the road, flags blowing in the wind as the chants of “Egypt, Egypt” could be heard from the sidewalk. Journalists quickly made their way to the scene, hoping to capture the images and footage of the mob.

Scores of Egyptian youth converged again on the embassy, but police were ready, and willing, to stop them. Force was necessary. Reports of Egyptians being arrested surfaced on the social-networking Twitter website as locals began following the protests and demonstrations with interest. “It is absolutely absurd,” said one Egyptian journalist, who watched the events unfolding with much disdain. “Egypt lost, who cares, now they are taking all the frustration out against their own people because they are angry at the government and the situation we all live in? It is horrible and disgusting that they would destroy shops and throw molotov cocktails at the police over a football match.”

Of course, the rioters, or demonstrators, depending on which side is speaking, the journalist was referring to Friday afternoons move from near the Algerian Embassy to downtown Cairo, where reports of molotov cocktails being thrown at police were reported. Bikya Masr could not confirm this specific incident from occurring, but a number of reports on Twitter argued they had in fact occurred. Ironically, as tens of riot trucks lined the streets of Zamalek, blocks away from the Embassy, the glass windows of shops laying strewn across the sidewalk, police were quick to deny any incident had occurred.

“Bring me a newspaper with the photos of these demonstrations you are talking about,” one police General told Bikya Masr some 50 meters from the Algerian Embassy. “There was nothing going on, no violence, no demonstration. Where you get your information, I don’t know.” It had been hours since the angry protesters had moved on from the area, leaving it cordoned off by hundreds, if not one thousand, police. The Embassy was now in recovery mode, and those with cameras were being moved away, often with force.

CNN’s Cairo bureau reported their video camera was taken by security in the early afternoon after they had allegedly captured footage of a woman being arrested. YouTube videos remain circulating with footage of the past few days violent outbursts, in Sudan, in Algeria and now Egypt. The tension has turned into national pride and like Ahmed Saber said, “it is as if we care more about what others say than our own dignity.”

[Al-khiyal]

Video report:
Football fever turns nasty in Cairo

Cairo, November 20, 2009 (CNN) -- Areas of Cairo might as well be under martial law. This normally chaotic but otherwise peaceful city of 18 million has been wracked by football fever gone mad. The government has deployed thousands of riot police and plain-clothed cops in a part of town normally known for its fancy restaurants and upscale shops. Thursday night thousands of angry football fans descended on the island of Zamalek, a posh neighbourhood popular with rich Egyptians, diplomats, businessmen and journalists. They were heading to the Algerian Embassy on Hassan Sabri Street.

Wednesday evening the Algerian and Egyptian football teams faced off in Khartoum, Sudan, for a final qualifying match for the 2010 World Cup, aptly described by the Daily Telegraph as the "play off from hell." Algeria won 1-0, earning itself a spot in the 2010 World Cup and sending Egypt home. Egypt and Algeria came to a standstill Wednesday evening to watch the match, played in Khartoum's Marreekh Stadium. Al-Marreekh is Arabic for the planet Mars, and Mars, of course, was the god of war.

The football rivalry sparked a nasty media war, in which each side accused the other of murdering their respective nationals and trashing property. The Algerian government suddenly slapped the Egyptian telecom giant Orascam with a back-tax bill of nearly $600 million for what Orascam calls "unfounded and unacceptable" claims. On Friday one Cairo daily ran a banner headline-in red-"TERROR IN SUDAN" featuring large colour photographs of a women with a bandaged head, and a police officer holding a long knife which the caption said had been used by an Algerian football fan against an Egyptian supporter. YouTube now has plenty of postings in which Egyptians and Algerians curse one another in the most colorful of language.

All of this is fueling anger and resentment.

In Zamalek Thursday evening, the crowd couldn't get through the police blockade, but vented its anger by smashing car and shop windows. Eyewitnesses say the police initially did nothing to stop them. The assumption is that the authorities wanted the crowd to let off steam, and then go home. But it was a tactic that didn't work. As word spread around Cairo, more people, mostly young men but a fair number of women as well, made their way to Zamalek. And clearly the police had miscalculated. They were pelted by rocks and bottles, and replied in kind. According to the Interior Ministry, more than 30 policemen were injured. And to top it all off, the crowd turned over one of the ubiquitous riot police trucks and torched it.

After this night of chaos, the government adopted a policy of zero-tolerance Friday. Thousands of riot police lined the streets of Zamalek. The road leading to the Algerian Embassy was closed to traffic. As is so often the case when the police are frustrated, they turn on journalists. When CNN Cairo camerawoman Mary Rogers tried to videotape a young woman with an Egyptian flag arguing with a policeman, about half a dozen cops jumped on her, grabbing her camera. When I protested, and put my hand on the camera, they pounced on me, ripping my shirt open. Two brawny men in civilian clothing grabbed my upper arms and pulled me away. Naturally I protested, which just brought more of them down on me. I now sport two very large bruises on my arms from this encounter with the law. To cut a long story short, after much screaming and shouting, radio and phone calls, we were told we could go. There was just one problem. The tape was not in the camera anymore. Of course, the police had no idea what had happened to it.

"This is not Egypt! They are not Egyptians," a young man who witnessed our detention told me, pointing up the road to the riot police. But the underlying problem, perhaps, has nothing to do with football, or Algeria. Rather, there is bedrock of deep resentment among many Egyptians - poor and well-off alike - against an ageing, authoritarian regime widely perceived as more concerned with self-preservation and self-enrichment than the general welfare. Today I overheard one woman - she described herself as a housewife - berating a police officer. "We are 80 million people in this country. We have to struggle to get by, and all you police do is beat us."

The predicament of Egypt was eloquently laid out by Egyptian journalist Sara Khorshid, who recently wrote in Cairo's Daily News: "Till this day, Egyptians continue to be stripped of their dignity, standing still vis-a-vis corruption, lawlessness, and unfair distribution of power and wealth between a small rich circle and a disadvantaged majority, whose patience may not be guaranteed for long." The post-match uproar may pass in a day or two. But it's a stark reminder that Egypt's appearance of calm and stability may be deceiving.

[Al-khiyal]

Classement FIFA :
L’Algérie à la 28eme place mondiale

Algeria climbs in latest FIFA rankings

November 20, 2009 -- Algeria climbed one spot to reach 28th place in the latest FIFA world football rankings. According to the list published Friday (November 20th) on the world football body's website, Algeria rank 4th in Africa, behind Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire and Nigeria. Egypt are fifth. Tunisia rose one spot to 53rd, Morocco fell four to 67th, Libya added two places to hit 118, while Mauritania were unchanged at number 169.