DATE=1/10/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-225071
TITLE=ALGERIA/KILLINGS (S & L)
BYLINE=DOUGLAS ROBERTS
DATELINE=CAIRO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: ALGERIAN NEWSPAPER REPORTS SAY MORE THAN FIFTY PEOPLE HAVE
BEEN KILLED IN A SERIES OF ATTACKS BY ISLAMIST EXTREMISTS OVER
THE PAST FEW DAYS. MIDDLE EAST CORRESPONDENT DOUGLAS ROBERTS
REPORTS THE VIOLENCE IN ALGERIA HAS ESCALATED SHARPLY SINCE THE
BEGINNING OF THE MUSLIM HOLY MONTH OF RAMADAN.
TEXT: THIS MAY WELL PROVE TO BE THE BLOODIEST RAMADAN IN ALGERIA
SINCE THE INSURGENCY BEGAN SIX YEARS AGO AFTER THE GOVERNMENT
ABORTED AN APPARENT ELECTION VICTORY BY AN ISLAMIST POLITICAL
PARTY.
WELL OVER ONE THOUSAND CIVILIANS HAVE BEEN REPORTED KILLED SINCE
THE HOLY MONTH BEGAN ELEVEN DAYS AGO.
ACCORDING TO ALGERIAN NEWSPAPER REPORTS, THE LATEST KILLINGS
OCCURRED THURSDAY AND FRIDAY.
THE REPORTS SAY TWENTY SIX CIVILIANS WERE KILLED NEAR THE TOWN OF
SOUR AL-GHOZLAN. NINE OTHERS DIED IN SAIDA PROVINCE. AND IN
WHAT IT DESCRIBED AS A LATE-BREAKING STORY, THE ALGIERS NEWSPAPER
LIBERTE REPORTS ANOTHER TWENTY CIVILIANS WERE MURDERED FRIDAY
NEAR TABLAT, ABOUT SEVENTY FIVE KILOMETERS SOUTH OF THE CAPITAL.
THE REPORTED ATTACKS CAME AFTER THE ALGERIAN GOVERNMENT, IN AN
APPARENT POLICY REVERSAL, AGREED TO RECEIVE A DELEGATION FROM THE
EUROPEAN UNION TO DISCUSS THE CRISIS.
///REMAINDER OPT FOR LONG C-R///SENIOR DIPLOMATS FROM BRITAIN,
AUSTRIA AND LUXEMBOURG ARE EXPECTED TO TRAVEL TO ALGIERS WITHIN
THE NEXT FEW WEEKS. BUT THE EXACT NATURE OF THE MISSION REMAINS
UNCLEAR.
EUROPEAN AND OTHER WESTERN GOVERNMENTS HAVE URGED THE DISPATCH OF
A FACT-FINDING MISSION TO DETERMINE WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE
VIOLENCE. BUT ALGERIAN LEADERS HAVE REPEATEDLY REJECTED ANY
INTERNATIONAL INVESTIGATION, SAYING IT WOULD BE AN INFRINGEMENT
OF ALGERIAN SOVEREIGNTY.
IN A PRESS STATEMENT EARLIER THIS WEEK, HOWEVER, FOREIGN MINISTER
AHMED AL-ATTAF SAID THE ALGIERS GOVERNMENT IS NOW WILLING TO
RECEIVE A EUROPEAN DELEGATION TO DISCUSS WAYS TO COMBAT
TERRORISM.
SPECIFICALLY, ALGERIAN OFFICIALS WANT EUROPEAN GOVERNMENTS TO
CRACK DOWN ON THE EXILED LEADERS AND SUPPORTERS OF THE MAIN
EXTREMIST ORGANIZATION, THE ARMED ISLAMIC GROUP.
ALGIERS MAINTAINS THAT THE EXTREMISTS ARE RECEIVING ARMS AND
FINANCIAL AID FROM CLANDESTINE NETWORKS BASED IN SEVERAL WEST
EUROPEAN STATES. (SIGNED)
NEB/DBR/DW/MGB
10-Jan-98 8:01 AM EST (1301 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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