Counterfeiters use fake seals to help terrorists in Algeria

A court in Algiers is expected to decide in a terror, counterfeiting and theft-related case within the next few days in which sensitive official institutions were involved.

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• Suspects are accused of joining a terrorist group, counterfeiting the State’s seals, carrying weapons and faking cars spar parts.
• Security forces had seized official seals and fake identity cards from three terrorists belonging to the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC). They used the fake cards to help terrorists hiding their real identities including Libyans, Tunisians and Moroccans.
• A total of 26 suspects are involved in this case including a woman. Two of them are Algerians living in France.
• Investigators found a seal of the national defence ministry on which it is written ‘the Popular National Army.’
• Another seal of the justice ministry was seized. It was used in many counterfeiting operations.
• Security forces also found two birth certificates sealed by foreign ministry.
• At the second suspect’s house, various seals of many official institutions were found.
• Investigations show that this gang operated in many provinces from Algiers to the west and east.