05/12/2007
A criminal court in Algiers sentenced former Armed Islamist Group (GIA) leader Noureddine Boudiaf to death on Tuesday (December 4th), Ech Chourouk reported. The paper quoted the detainee defending himself, saying he was "a temporary leader of the Armed Islamic Group (GIA) and never killed civilians over 12 years of terror activities, instead, I assassinated police officers and troops. I was in open conflict with Antar Zouabri with concern to civilian slaughter." Boudiaf also stressed that he joined the terrorist groups in 1993 unwillingly, "under relentless pressure" from the security services, because his brother was a member of the banned Islamic party at that time.