Algeria: German tourists kidnappers sentenced to life prison

A criminal court in Algiers sentenced two men to life prison Thursday for terror-related acts, foreign nationals abduction, weapons dealing and ammunition traffic.

• The same court sentenced two other men to 20 years in prison for working with terrorists, foreign nationals kidnapping and weapons dealing.
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• Terrorists led by Abderrezak El Para were arrested, six years ago. Their leader was behind kidnappings in the Algerian and Malian desert. They were caught in Chad trying to buy weapons and ammunition. They were deported to Algeria.
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• This came after the terrorist group had carried out the largest act which shook the international and domestic public opinion in 2003. They held 15 foreign tourists from Germany, Belgium and Netherlands in the Algerian desert. They stayed in a cave for a month until they had been released in return for a 5 million euros ransom.
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• It was 11 am when the judge questioned the first suspect (N. Atia), saying: “You have heard the charges against you. What can you say?”
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• “I had to join the armed groups after the dissolution of the Islamic Salvation Front (FIS). It was in 1994 but I did not carry any terrorist attack.”
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• Judge: “You said you worked for Nabil Sahraoui in Batna’s mountains (east of Algiers) and you participated in the invasion of Tazoult prison in 1994 with the help of two guards. You were about 200 terrorists and this act allowed 1,400 prisoners to run away. You mobilised them in the armed groups.”
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• “I did not carry out any act. I met El Para’s group in the desert next to a well.”
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• The suspect denied his confessions and the Attorney General tried to ask him about his work with terrorists.
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• The judge asked the second suspect (K. Abdelmadjid), saying: “You are prosecuted for working with a terrorist group. You said with details how you had joined Nabil Sahraoui’s group. Then, you moved to the desert with El Para’s group. You were assigned to keep watch on the kidnapped tourists in Tassili cave. You took them to Chad where you were caught by the opposition army. What can you say?”
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• “I deny all those accusations. I went to the mountain because security forces were searching for me after I left the detention in 1993.”
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• The judge questioned the third suspect (B. Ben Alia): “You said you had been a serviceman. Then you went to the desert with El Para’s group. You had a hand in an ambush against self-defence agents in the province of Djelfa. You witnessed the kidnapping of the foreign tourists and you were arrested in Chad.”
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• “I joined the group in 1999 but I did not carry out any killing attack.”
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• The judge questioned the fourth suspect (B. Abdelbasset): “You said you joined terrorist groups in 2002 led by El Para and you went with him to the desert. You had a hand in the kidnapping act. You were assigned to keep watch on them and you attended their release talks in return for a ransom.”
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• “Yes, I joined terrorists in the province of Tebessa (east of Algiers). When I knew about their objectives and their ideas I went to the desert. I did not carry out any attack against the Algerian system.