Ansar Dine’s spokesman: video of hostages came to pressure Algeria

Footage of three Algerian diplomats held hostage by the movement of Tawhid and Jihad in Africa represents a pressure on Algerian authorities to meet their demands of releasing three terrorists arrested in mid 2012 in the province of Ghardaia (south of Algiers), according to Ansar Dine’s spokesman Sanda Ould Bouamama.

Ould Bouamama told Echorouk on Thursday the video tape “came to put pressure on Algerian authorities to move.”

“Algerian authorities did not officially ask for mediation to release its nationals.”

Asked about the reality of diplomat Taher Touati’s assassination, the spokesman said Tawhid and Jihad movement had not given evidence about the assassination.

The movement issued a releasing announcing it had “blocked” an offer already given about stopping attacks in northern Mali. It said it had no other choice as the Malian side wanted war.

It added that it is “open for any serious start of negotiation process,” saying “it did not feel any sincere will of peace and negotiation from the Malian side.”

It also said the Malian government wanted destructive war tools although its economy was falling. At the same time, talks were held in Ouagadougou to reach dialogue.

The movement accused the Malian government of exploiting race and hate ideas among thousands of militias as arms to cause a civil war in the country.

“The Malian government’s diplomatic activity was incomparable to convince the international community about the necessity of intervention to kill people in Azwad. Their only mistake is that want to live in freedom in accordance to their religious convictions in peace, stability and prosperity,” said the release.