Louh: “226 Young Algerians Have Joined “Daesh” Terrorist Organization”

The Minister of Justice and Keeper Of the Seals, Tayeb Louh, issued arrest warrants against 226 young Algerians, including 21 foreigners identified as belonging to terrorist groups active in Arab conflict areas such as Syria, Libya and Yemen, while others are now being detained in the US prison of Guantánamo.

Speaking on the sidelines of the voting session on the State Council and the organization of prisons in the National People’s Assembly in Algiers, Mr. Tayeb Louh stated that scores of young Algerian people, involved in terrorist activities, were active in several  conflict areas in the Arab world and had been identified through updated methods by the national justice sector. 

17 Algerian nationals were currently being held in Guantanamo prison, he said.

 After being tried in Algeria, some of the latter, he indicated, have now smoothly integrated into society and there have been about them no reported complaints or links to terrorist groups.

Replying to a question about the lethal game of “Blue Whale”, which has sparked off widespread controversy in the country, the justice minister said that the investigation is underway into this suicide-related mobile phone application, pointing to the routing of judicial appeals from various countries of the world, especially the state to which the inventor belongs, in reference to Russia.

However, he stressed the impossibility of blocking the social networking sites in Algeria, and said, “We will not block all social networks, and the audiovisual authority must play its role in this regard,” and must not waver to send a message whereby private TV channels should play a large role in raising awareness about this momentous issue.

The Minister went on to say: “The responsibility lies on the parents in raising awareness of their children and keeping a watchful upon them,” adding that his services dealing with in this file have recorded only one Blue Whale-related case.

Furthermore, in response to a question about Algerian supporters publishing a picture of the King of Saudi Arabia with US President Donald Trump near occupied Jerusalem, and the Saudi Ambassador’s ensuing protest in Algeria over the issue, the justice minister avoided commenting on the issue, saying only: “The judiciary will carry out its duty in everything concerning the implementation of the law to this effect”.