Algeria releases leading figure in Islamic Front

The Algerian authorities released the second ranking man in the banned Islamic Front For Salvation, Ali Balhah, months after his detention on charges of encouraging terrorism.

Balhah, according to his brother Abdul Hamid, left al-Harash prison east of Algeria where he had been detained since the end of July 2005 on charge of supporting in a tv interview the killing of two Algerian diplomats in Iraq who were executed later by al-Qaida organization in Iraq.

Officials in the front stressed repeatedly that Balhah was actually preparing to address an appeal for the kidnappers to release the two diplomats by the sudden cut-off of the telephone call left the impression that he had called for killing them especially when he said "one who deals with the occupation is treated as an occupier."

Balhah observed a hunger strike by the beginning of January in protest of what he called bad treatment, and his family said that his health conditions deteriorated and that he is completely isolated after he was banned from having books and journals.

Balhah spent 12 year in prison which he entered in 1991 with the leader of the front Abbasi Madani under the charge of provoking civil unrest after he had called on the party for general strike in protest of election laws. Then the clashes led to killing or injuring of scores.