Islamic Parliament Members Told to Support Government Anti-terrorist Efforts

27/05/2005

[File] Ouyahia

Algerian Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahia rejected calls by Islamic parliament members at the last National Assembly session to lift the 1992 emergency law to combat extremists. He told them to concentrate on the government's efforts to combat terrorism.

Islamic legislators cited relative security and political stability for justifying their call for lifting the emergency law, accusing the government of manipulating the law to impose control on political life. Ouyahia responded that the government is not making a political maneuver and that its stance is a question of "life and death" for the Algerian people. (UPI)