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New al Qaeda unit reported formed

The Jamestown Foundation reports on an announcement of the formation of a new al Qaeda unit in Algeria. This is apparently an attempt to unite any forces who oppose the government's amnesty. The Jamestown analysis by Stephen Ulph ends with:

"Last month the chief of Algeria's General Amnesty Commission (CNGAG), Abdel Razzak Ismail, said that at least 400 terrorists were prepared to lay down their arms. The question is, therefore, whether the statement announces a genuine new formation, or represents a last ditch attempt to rally the mujahid remnants under a new banner, in the hope that increased prestige will replace the shortfall in muscle."

Algeria purchasing Russian weapons

Algeria is buying Russian says arms -- tanks and fighters worth 1.5b $US. Arms sales to Algeria are said to account for 3% of Russian exports.

Morocco Algerian Trade

Arabic News on 21 may 05.

Algeria to cut debt by half

From Reuters, 22 may 05. Note that various sources say Algeria now has from $45b to $55b budget surplus, due to the high price of oil in recent years. (See the EIA and CIA webpages on Algeria country report for more statistical detail.)

"Islam can vote, if we let it," NYT Op-Ed

NYT Op-Ed 20 May 05, by SAAD EDDIN IBRAHIM. A candidate in Egypt's presidential elections; he holds that there are increasingly moderate islamic parties which will become vehicles of MENA democratization. He opposes the nullification of Algeria's elections in 1991 (in this particular case, he has an extremely generous definition of what are 'modedrate' islamic parities!).
    A colleague tells me: "Interestingly former CIA analyst, Reuel Gerecht (now at the AEI) also is making a related, possibly more radical argument, that the real vehicle for democratization in the ME will be the Islamists!"

Army receives foreign equipment

Said to particularly aid in tracking insurgents From Britian, France, Spain and the U.S. Including training. From Middle East News Watch 21 may 05

Salafists reported in Morocco

According to Middle East newsline.

Some Islamic courses eliminated in educational reform

Protests were reported in Algerian papers as well (on the day I left Algiers, 17 May 05).

24billion AD telecom investment announced

Regional conference of Arab countries on telecommunications. According to the conference: "... only 11.2 million people in the Arab world are connected to the internet, out of a total population of more than 300 million. It is estimated that there are less than 500,000 internet users in Algeria out of a population of over 32 million people." [Al Bawaba citing Liberte Algerie; 2005 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)]

Twelve die in GSPS attacks

Twelve kileld in GSPC (Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat) attacks. Gives government stats on civil war deaths since 1992 (150,000), and that 300-500 GSPC forces still active (says only 30 GIA are active). From Mail & Guardian, 22May05.

Le Monde on 08 Mai 1945 Algerian massacres

The world at war - Massacre in Algeria: The Algerian War began at Setif "As France celebrated victory in Europe on 8 May 1945, its army was massacring thousands of civilians in Stif and Guelma - events that were the real beginning of Algerias war of independence." By Mohammed Harbi. (Le Monde Diplomatique, 17 Mai 05)
    The 60th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) day, 08 May 1945, was rightly widely celebrated. However, what is not heard here in the U.S., is that this was also the day on which French forces massacred 15,000-25,000 peacefully demonstrating Algerians (according to French sources), or 45,000 (according to Algerian sources). On this 60th anniversary, the Algerian president demanded a public apology from France for this massacre of Algerians, who died demanding that the Allies promise of post-war "de-colonialization" be honored. The French government has refused to apologize.
    Le Monde does not have the French version on their site (La guerre d'Algrie a commence Stif, par Mohammed Harbi, 17 mai 2005), but I found an English translation (below). This article does not mention the aerial bombardment of people fleeing to the beaches, and many other horrific aspects, but is nevertheless informative. French and Algerian perodicals have carried many other related articles.
    - Tom

three soldiers killed east of algers

050519reut_3_soldiers_killed.htm These attacks took place only 100 Km. east of Algiers. This must be near to the 2003 earthquake zone.

Liquified gas explosion - February 2005

The explosion also caused US critics of new liquified gas terminals to raise alarms about doing this in the US