Tens of Islamist prisoners commit to not resume violence, says Sahnouni

A founder of the banned-Islamic Salvation Front (FIS) Hachemi Sahnouni Wednesday said he received tens of letters from Islamist prisoners who committed to not resume armed acts any more.

• “The initiative commission and proposals to the national reconciliation, which has been recently created, received letters from Islamist prisoners who commit to not resume violence and armed acts any more,” Hachemi Sahnouni told Echorouk.
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• “Some of them were transmitted to the president of the republic in an attempt to convince him to make the general amnesty decision for prisoners who were not involved in collective murders and rape,” he added.
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• The commission asked security authorities to enable it to obtain permits to visit the prisoners but it did not achieve this endeavour.
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• The letters show a big conviction that violence is useless. They came after Sahnouni’s commission had asked the president to free Islamist prisoners.
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• FIS’ former member said the commission is in contact with the President’s Office in order to settle the situation of Islamist prisoners.
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• “We are optimist because the President’s Office described our demands as reasonable but they need time.”
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• Sahnouni also said the amnesty decision may not touch all the prisoners in accordance to the law on the National Reconciliation.
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• He called on the consultative organisation to involve members of the Commission of National Reconciliation Initiative in dialogue séances.
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• The commission includes former senior members of the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC) including Hassan Hattab, Abu Hadjer, Abu Zakaria and Abdelbar.