Algeria: The killing of 15 security officials links terrorism to drugs
Algeria, Local, 7/11/2002

A prominent security official in Algeria, where it was reported on Wednesday the killing of 15 persons, conisdered that Algeria is in a state of "real war." Another official said the armed groups get their financing from the drug trade.

Algerian security source said that nine persons, including five children, from BuAlem family were killed and two wounded during a new killing operation said to be carried out by the armed Islamic group in al-Mala'ib quarters in Teyar, the center of Wersnis province, situated 340 Km to the west of the capital Algiers. The group is led by prince Rasheed Abu Turab.

Meantime, a high ranking security source in Algeria said that the terrorist groups in Algeria are linked by close relations with gangs which trade with drugs. He disclosed that the Southern Algerian borders have become a place for weapons trade.

The deputy director of the Algerian criminal security Maj. Gen. Rabeh Laj said on the sideline of a conference for heads of drugs fighting departments in the Arab states held in Tunisia that "the relation of the active terrorist groups in Alegria with them has been proved for the Algerian security authorities since 1993." He added that the investigations carried out by the security departments concerned in 1995 reached one result which is that the main source for financing the Islamic groups is drugs and that a "religious Fatwa was released permitting drug trading to ensure necessary financing for the activities of these groups."

He added that these groups gave up this Fatwa in 1996, but issued anther Fatwa which permits allocation of a percentage of drugs revenues to finance their activities especially for purchasing weapons and ammunition.

Previous Stories:
  Algeria: Six persons slaughtered near al-Medya   (7/9/2002)
  30 killed, 36 wounded in explosion at Algerian market   (7/6/2002)
  More people killed or wounded in Algiers   (6/13/2002)

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