Algerian president defies terrorist threats

For the first time since he took office on top of the Algerian state, the president Abdelaziz Bouteflika paid a surprise visit to the capital city, Algiers and the town of Blida, disregarding all security protocols in force in these kinds of events.

• For many, in doing so, the president launched a strong signal for reluctant parties that wanted to make of the terrorist threats on the person of the president an argument to discredit the reconciliation policy initiated by him.
• During his flash visit to these two towns, the president inaugurated various projects, including the go ahead of the first Auto rail linking the town of Chlef (western Algeria) to Algiers.