DATE=1/21/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-225612
TITLE=ALGERIA / VIOLENCE (L)
BYLINE=DOUGLAS ROBERTS
DATELINE=ALGIERS
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
///// UPDATES INTRO ONLY. /////
INTRO: THERE WERE MORE BOMB BLASTS WEDNESDAY IN ALGIERS.
ALGERIAN TELEVISION SAYS ONE PERSON WAS KILLED, BUT NEWS AGENCY
REPORTS SAY THE DEATH TOLL MAY HAVE BEEN HIGHER. V-O-A'S DOUGLAS
ROBERTS IN ALGIERS REPORTS THE LATEST BOMBINGS APPEAR TO BE PART
OF A HEIGHTENED CAMPAIGN OF VIOLENCE BY ISLAMIST EXTREMISTS
DURING THE MUSLIM HOLY MONTH OF RAMADAN.
TEXT: MORE THAN ONE-THOUSAND ALGERIANS HAVE REPORTEDLY BEEN
KILLED DURING THE FIRST THREE WEEKS OF RAMADAN. A SERIES OF
BLOODY MASSACRES IN THE COUNTRYSIDE IS BLAMED ON TERRORISTS OF
THE ARMED ISLAMIC GROUP.
UNTIL NOW, THE SITUATION IN ALGIERS WAS GENERALLY CALM. THE CITY
APPEARED NORMAL, WITH PLENTY OF TRAFFIC IN THE STREETS EVEN AFTER
DARK. THERE WERE OPEN-AIR CONCERTS IN ONE CENTRAL SQUARE EACH
EVENING.
BUT AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS WEEK, THERE WERE OMINOUS REPORTS IN
ALGIERS NEWSPAPERS, SAYING SECURITY FORCES HAD FOILED SEVERAL
ATTEMPTED BOMBINGS IN THE CITY. TUESDAY, THE TERRORISTS STRUCK
IN THE BEN ARKNOUN DISTRICT ON THE WESTERN EDGE OF ALGIERS.
THE BOMB EXPLODED ON A CROWDED COMMUTER BUS. LATER A SECOND
BLAST RIPPED THROUGH A MARKETPLACE IN THE NEARBY TOWN OF ZERALDA.
THE INTERIOR MINISTRY REPORTED FOUR DEAD AND MORE THAN 50 WOUNDED
IN TUESDAY'S EXPLOSIONS. NEWSPAPER REPORTS SAY SECURITY FORCES
KILLED THREE TERRORISTS IN A GUNBATTLE IN ALGIERS THAT SAME
NIGHT.
THERE WERE MORE EXPLOSIONS IN THE CITY WEDNESDAY. A BOMB BLAST
IN THE HISTORIC CASBAH DISTRICT NEAR THE PORT APPARENTLY CAUSED
NO CASUALTIES.
A FEW HOURS LATER, ANOTHER BOMB WENT OFF IN A CROWDED SHOPPING
STREET NEAR THE MAIN GATE OF ALGIERS UNIVERSITY.
THERE ARE CONFLICTING ACCOUNTS OF THE CASUALTY TOLL. BUT
EYE-WITNESSES SAY MANY PASSERSBY WERE HURT IN THE BLAST. POLICE
IMMEDIATELY CORDONED OFF THE AREA AS AMBULANCES AND SECURITY
FORCES ARRIVED.
THE RENEWED URBAN TERRORISM HERE CAME JUST AS A DELEGATION FROM
THE EUROPEAN UNION WAS MEETING WITH ALGERIAN OFFICIALS TO TRY TO
DETERMINE IF THERE IS ANYTHING EUROPEAN GOVERNMENTS CAN DO TO
HELP END THE VIOLENCE OF THE PAST SIX-YEARS.
THE E-U MISSION HELD A DAY OF TALKS WITH ALGERIAN OFFICIALS, AND
WILL PRESENT A REPORT TO A MEETING OF EUROPEAN FOREIGN MINISTERS
NEXT WEEK IN BRUSSELS.
ALGIERS WANTS THE EUROPEAN UNION TO CRACK DOWN ON EXILED
SUPPORTERS OF THE EXTREMISTS GROUPS. THE GOVERNMENT CONTENDS
THAT MONEY AND OTHER AID FOR THE TERRORISTS IS BEING SMUGGLED IN
FROM A NUMBER OF WEST EUROPEAN CITIES. (SIGNED)
NEB/DBR/JWH/RAE
21-Jan-98 2:28 PM EST (1928 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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