Algeria sentences 4 teenagers recruited in “Horror Battalion” to 20 years prison in absentia

Criminal court sentenced four minors including girls in absentia to 20 years prison on charges of belonging to terrorist groups, praising terrorism acts, encouraging and re-printing copies as well as recording comments for terrorist groups. The same body declared the named “B.A” not guilty.

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• This case came after judicial police of Mstaghanem province (west of Algeria) arrested the accused “B.A” last summer in 2007 on charges of recruiting teenagers to join the terrorist groups’ ranks. Tapes related to the 11th September 2001 events had been found along with Salafists jihad fatwa.
•  The trial witnessed intensive presence of the teenagers’ parents, as replacing their children who have been recruited and now they are in escape.
• It was disclosed that a group of youngsters aged between 14 and 23 years used to frequent the suspect’s shop in “Tijdit” region. He used to sell industrial oils there.
•  Their parents also confirmed that they joined the terrorist groups’ strongholds under the “Horrors cell’s” rank working in Ain Defla mountains (west of Algeria) since 2007.
• Some of the families said that they were receiving continuous phone calls through which they passed religious chants containing enthusiastic words about training lessons. Others indicated that their children were brainwashed.
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• For his part, the general rights representative sought imprisonment of 8 years against “B.A”, and paying fine of 100,000 dinars.
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