Algeria: suspects reveal details on banned-Islamic leader’s son

A court in Algiers will decide on Wednesday in a case in which the name of a banned Islamic party leader’ son is expected to be stated by two main terror suspects.

Abdelkahar Ben Haj, the son of the banned-Islamic Salvation Front leader’s son is said to be a member of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb while his father denied that and said his son had been kidnapped.

On the other hand, pictures broadcast by the so-called Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb on the Internet show Abdelkahar and other terrorists in a mountainous area.

Adel and Fateh, the two suspects who are prosecuted for belonging to an armed terrorist group and praising it have confirmed Abdelkahar Ben Haj’s ties with Al-Qaeda.

Whan questioned, Adel, 25, said he used to frequent some men including Abdelkahar Ben Haj at a mosque in Algiers in 2006. A man named Zakaria suggested to him to join armed groups.

Fateh, 27, said he used to frequent the same mosque in 2005 where he knew a man (B. N.). He told him about a way to travel to Iraq for jihad purposes. Fateh went with him to Libya and Egypt. They came back to Libya as they could not reach Iraq.

In 2007, He knew a man (K. M.) who suggested to him to join armed groups and threatened him if he reveals such information.

In a second meeting at the same mosque Fateh asked if there were other people who wanted to join the group. K. M. told him that Abdelkahar Ben Haj had expressed his desire to join them.

Fateh added that Abdelkahar and other four men went to Tizi Ouzou province (150 km east of Algiers) in October 2007 but he did not want to join them.

Although the two suspects told the examining judges that they had no intention to join terrorist groups neither did they support them, they said they knew Abdelkahar Ben Haj as he was their neighbour.

They heard that he had joined the armed groups, they added.