Algeria has a pivotal role in combating Al Qaeda, Robin Searby says

Algiers-Great Britain considers Algeria as a “key” ally in the fight against terrorism in the Maghreb, Sahel and West Africa, General Major Robin Searby, British Prime Minister David Cameron security adviser says.

“Algeria is an important partner and a key ally of UK in the fight against terrorism in these African regions,” Robin Serby added.

The British official explained, in a press conference at the British Embassy in Algeria, that the UK shares many points with Algeria, especially those relating to paying ransoms to terrorist groups to free hostages; “This position will be discussed in the UN, because paying ransoms is a crime that is eventually exploited by terrorist groups, and this could revive terrorism. Great Britain has an important opinion about Algeria in the area of combating terrorism in the region, because Algeria has an important potential to fight against Al Qaeda”.

“The UK shares the same concerns with the countries of the Sahel. The spread of weapons from Libya to the region is in the benefit of terrorist groups in the Sahel, and this is a threat to these countries and to Libya as well. The new Libyan authorities, in turn, should control the spread of arms in the region”, he asserted.

“We hope the transitional government would be able to control the spread of weapons in the region. We will help them achieve that goal”.

In a related context, the British ambassador to Algeria Martin Roper excluded the possibility of a radical Islamic state in Libya, saying; “We don’t think do. Through our contacts with NTC, it is clear that security and stability will be the priorities of the new authorities in Libya”.