Algeria: GSPC uses naïve 28-year-old man for suicide attack

The suicide bomber who failed to attack a police station eastern Algeria on June 4 is named Hamza Hala, 28, jobless and has been wanted by security forces for a year, Echorouk has learnt.

• Hamza’s neighbours told Echorouk his family lives in average social conditions and considered what happened as a “surprise.”
• Many of his friends described him as “naïve” who had been exploited by terrorists to carry out criminal acts.
• His sister and mother said he had disappeared since his behaviour changed and became uncommunicative.
• “It was the big shock because he left without telling us,” said Hamza’s mother.
• Hamza was reported missing on November 29th 2006, almost the same date when most of new recruited elements for suicide attacks after the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC) had affiliated to Al-Qaeda in September 2006.
• Hamza who belonged to a family of 9 had trained in the Civil Protection department. His sister said his life was normal trying to justify that he could not perpetrate such horrible act. “You can ask every one about him…it’s impossible.”
• “His behaviour has recently changed. His relations were very limited before he disappeared.”
• A day after the foiled attack, gendarmes went to the family’s house and asked to accompany a member of them to identify the body. “We discovered the truth at that time and we did not realise that he was the one who did that.”
• His sister said his stomach went out of his belly after the belt had exploded. “His jaw-bone was broken and he lost some of his teeth. His face was not intact.”
• Asked whether his head was found hanging in a tree, she said “no…I saw him. He was a complete body and his face was not changed.”
• The suicide bomber’s sister said she saw him wearing stylish sport shoes and jeans. “Do you know that my brother has never put on jeans and he did not have that sport shoes.”
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