EU appoints security attache at its diplomatic mission in Algeria

The European Union (EU) started dispatching security attaches at its diplomatic missions in some Arab countries including Algeria. This comes following an attack on French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo which published blasphemous cartoons of the Prophet Muhammed (Peace Be Upon Him).

The decision was announced by EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini after a meeting of European foreign ministers and the Arab League Secretary General Nabil Al Arabi.

She said the EU plans to launch anti-terror projects with Arab nations including Algeria, Yemen, Egypt and Gulf countries.

The EU would step up intelligence-sharing both internally and with countries affected by terrorism, she said, and increase its work to prevent funding for terrorist networks.

The European Parliament, she added, would be asked to work on legislation covering the sharing of airline passenger data.

Mogherini said new attaches at some EU foreign missions would be tasked with developing “security and anti-terror co-operation”.

Security expert Abdelouahab Benat described the European decision as “positive” as it is a “new start in anti-terror cooperation between Algeria and its European partners. It is a late awakening.”

“This cooperation must have clear clauses which include information exchange. The EU’s decision shows the acknowledgment of the Algerian anti-terrorism role importance,” he told Echorouk on the phone.