Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06ALGIERS622
2006-04-04 16:44:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Algiers
Cable title:
ALGERIA REPORTEDLY RE-ARRESTS THREE TERRORISTS
VZCZCXYZ0000 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHAS #0622 0941644 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 041644Z APR 06 FM AMEMBASSY ALGIERS TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0782 INFO RUEAHLC/HOMELAND SECURITY CENTER WASHDC PRIORITY RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE PRIORITY RUEHTU/AMEMBASSY TUNIS 6105 RUEHRB/AMEMBASSY RABAT 1259 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 1206 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1743
C O N F I D E N T I A L ALGIERS 000622
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/04/2016
TAGS: PREL PINR PTER PGOV AG
SUBJECT: ALGERIA REPORTEDLY RE-ARRESTS THREE TERRORISTS
LINKED TO RESSAM CASE
REF: MCNICHOLAS-SIEVERS E-MAIL OF MARCH 28
Classified By: Ambassador Richard W. Erdman,
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L ALGIERS 000622
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/04/2016
TAGS: PREL PINR PTER PGOV AG
SUBJECT: ALGERIA REPORTEDLY RE-ARRESTS THREE TERRORISTS
LINKED TO RESSAM CASE
REF: MCNICHOLAS-SIEVERS E-MAIL OF MARCH 28
Classified By: Ambassador Richard W. Erdman,
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (U) The leading Arabic-language daily newspaper El Khabar
reported April 4 on its front page the re-arrest of
Abdelmadjid Dahoumen, Mourad Yakhlaf, and Adel Boumazber.
According to El Khabar, the three individuals were released
from prison last month in accordance with the Charter on
Peace and National Reconciliation. The article stated that
Dahoumen was arrested April 3 based on an international
warrant issued by the U.S., which implicates him in the
Millennium bombing plot masterminded by Ahmad Ressam.
Yakhlaf and Boumazber, according to the report, were also
connected to Ressam. The families and lawyers of the three
men told El Khabar of their concern that the GOA planned to
extradite them for trial.
2. (C) Per Ref e-mail request, DCM informed Presidential
Counselor on Counter-Terrorism Rezag Bara, during an April 2
meeting on other issues, of the Department of Homeland
Security's interest in learning whether Dahoumen and Yakhlaf,
in the context of their involvement with Ressam in the
Millennium bombing plot, were among the terrorists released
from prison under National Reconciliation. Rezag Bara told
DCM and PolEc Chief he would check on what information on
these individuals could be shared with the U.S. and get back
to us.
COMMENT
--------------
3. (C) The re-arrest of these Millennium bombing plot
suspects one day after our meeting with Rezag Bara is
interesting to say the least. Although Rezag Bara has not
passed any information on this matter to us directly, we note
that the GOA frequently gives El Khabar information on
background, and it is possible that the El Khabar story, the
lead on that paper's front page, serves as the GOA response
to our inquiry. The re-arrest of these individuals also
raises questions about the manner in which the GOA decided
which terrorists to release from prison under National
Reconciliation. Some observers have commented on the
apparently improvisational nature of the release process, and
this latest reversal is likely to reinforce the impression
that the GOA may now be having second thoughts about some of
the releases. In this regard, European ambassadors,
especially Schengen ambassadors, are complaining that Algeria
has so far rebuffed requests for the names of those released.
ERDMAN
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/04/2016
TAGS: PREL PINR PTER PGOV AG
SUBJECT: ALGERIA REPORTEDLY RE-ARRESTS THREE TERRORISTS
LINKED TO RESSAM CASE
REF: MCNICHOLAS-SIEVERS E-MAIL OF MARCH 28
Classified By: Ambassador Richard W. Erdman,
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (U) The leading Arabic-language daily newspaper El Khabar
reported April 4 on its front page the re-arrest of
Abdelmadjid Dahoumen, Mourad Yakhlaf, and Adel Boumazber.
According to El Khabar, the three individuals were released
from prison last month in accordance with the Charter on
Peace and National Reconciliation. The article stated that
Dahoumen was arrested April 3 based on an international
warrant issued by the U.S., which implicates him in the
Millennium bombing plot masterminded by Ahmad Ressam.
Yakhlaf and Boumazber, according to the report, were also
connected to Ressam. The families and lawyers of the three
men told El Khabar of their concern that the GOA planned to
extradite them for trial.
2. (C) Per Ref e-mail request, DCM informed Presidential
Counselor on Counter-Terrorism Rezag Bara, during an April 2
meeting on other issues, of the Department of Homeland
Security's interest in learning whether Dahoumen and Yakhlaf,
in the context of their involvement with Ressam in the
Millennium bombing plot, were among the terrorists released
from prison under National Reconciliation. Rezag Bara told
DCM and PolEc Chief he would check on what information on
these individuals could be shared with the U.S. and get back
to us.
COMMENT
--------------
3. (C) The re-arrest of these Millennium bombing plot
suspects one day after our meeting with Rezag Bara is
interesting to say the least. Although Rezag Bara has not
passed any information on this matter to us directly, we note
that the GOA frequently gives El Khabar information on
background, and it is possible that the El Khabar story, the
lead on that paper's front page, serves as the GOA response
to our inquiry. The re-arrest of these individuals also
raises questions about the manner in which the GOA decided
which terrorists to release from prison under National
Reconciliation. Some observers have commented on the
apparently improvisational nature of the release process, and
this latest reversal is likely to reinforce the impression
that the GOA may now be having second thoughts about some of
the releases. In this regard, European ambassadors,
especially Schengen ambassadors, are complaining that Algeria
has so far rebuffed requests for the names of those released.
ERDMAN