Exhumation of Skulls of Tibhirine Monks at “Our Lady of Atlas” Monastery in Médéa

French counter-terrorism judge Marc Trevidic, who arrived Monday in Algeria to inquire into the assassination of the Trappist monks of Tibhirine went Tuesday morning to “Our lady of Atlas” monastery in Tibhirine in the province of Médéa, 80 km south of Algiers.

Judge Trevidic, accompanied by French examining magistrate Nathalie Poux and forensic experts, attended the exhumation of the remains of the skulls of the seven monks, murdered in May 1996 by the Islamic Armed terrorist Group (GIA), after about two months in captivity, under the supervision of an Algerian judge, sources told Echorouk.

The delegation also includes medical experts who will take ADN samples and carry out X-ray examinations, the sources added.

Marc Trévidic is accompanied during his visit by 13 auxiliary officials from the French justice, including 4 investigators and 9 personalities, representing the sectors of security, police and judiciary.

They are also set to interview direct or indirect witnesses in the case. 

The seven Trappist monks were abducted in the night of 26 to 27 March 1996, from the monastery of Tibhirine, on the heights of the town of Médéa.

The heads of the monks were discovered on the outskirts of Médéa on 30 May 1996.

Their horrendous murder was claimed, in a statement dated 21 May 1996, by the GIA, a terrorist group led then by Chieftain Djamel Zitouni, killed in July 1996 by a rival terrorist grouping in the region of Tamesguida, in the north of Medea.

Algerian Justice Minister Tayeb Louh said there was “no disagreement” between Algeria and France over the probe into the murder of the seven trappist monks of Tibhirine.

Algerian and French judges in charge of the case are working in “perfect collaboration,” Louh underlined in his statement to the press earlier this week in Algiers.

No date has yet been fixed for the autopsies of the skulls of the late monks. Once the autopsies take place, investigators may be able to better establish a timeline for the murders, using science to answer key questions such as whether the monks were killed by decapitation or were decapitated post-mortem.

This is the French magistrate’s second visit to Algeria after a preliminary one paid to the country in December 2011 aimed at paving the way for the launching of this post-mortem autopsy of the seven late Monks who were beheaded and their bodies were never found.