U.S. Justice: Terrorist “Belmokhtar” to face eight charges on Tiguentourine attack

Judicial Authorities announce Saturday in New York, that they charged Mokhtar Belmokhtar, leader of “Al Mouakioune Bidam” (blood signatories) battalion with planing for the attack against Ain Aminas oil base, which led to the death of 38 people from several countries, including three Americans on last January.

American Justice directed eight charges against “Blaour”, including conspiracy which intended to provide regulatory support for al-Qaeda and al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, and a plot of hostage-taking and kidnapping of internationally protected persons, and conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction.

Prosecutor of Manhattan federal Brett Barara, said in a statement, that these charges could lead to a death sentence against Belmokhtar after he spread years ago terror against the West, and his efforts culminated in the bloody siege, which resulted in dozens of deaths, including three Americans, in addition to exposing lives of hundreds of others at risk in Ain Amenas.

“Belmokhtar spread terror and blood for these innocent people and we currently have faith in justice which will punish him. Three of the hostage-takers were interrogated by the U.S. authorities after the attack on the oil base in Tiguentourine, confirming they are members of al-Qaeda group which leader is “Belmokhtar”.

Previously, Algerian security services arrested, in the wake of the terrorist bombing, three terrorists, including the terrorist Abou Talha Al Tounsi, whose real name is Derbali Larousi, in addition to two other Algerians, as investigations about them proved that their families were not aware that they joined the terrorist organization, as each one told his family that he was working in the Algerian desert, before it becomes clear that they were part of the terrorist organization “Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb”.