Algerian train station bombings kill 12
2008-06-09
Multiple casualties have been reported following back-to-back bombings at a train station east of Algiers on Sunday. Algerians condemned the attacks and called on the security authorities to deal firmly with the terrorists.
Said Jameh in Algiers contributed to this report - 09/06/08
 [Getty Images] An Algerian policeman guards a checkpoint near the site of the June 8th blast at the Beni Amrane railway station. The attack killed 12 people, including fire-fighters and soldiers. |
Two bombs exploded on Sunday (June 8th) at the Beni Amrane railway station in Boumerdès wilaya, killing 12 people, including fire-fighters, soldiers, a French engineer and his Algerian driver.
The first blast occurred at around 5:10 pm, when a bomb placed on the right side of the RN5 motorway to Algiers was remotely detonated. The government has officially confirmed an as-yet unnamed employee of French water engineering company Razel and his driver Sayed Samir, an native of Lakhdaria, died in their Renault Megane.
A second bomb exploded 15 minutes later outside the railway station near the martyrs' cemetery. Sources say nearly a dozen policemen and firefighters were killed in the blast as they were responding to the first explosion. Officials tell Magharebia that the final death toll will be amended upon notification to next-of-kin.
Security personnel who surrounded the bomb sites found and successfully disarmed another device, El Watan reported. Traffic was backed up for hours as a result of a security cordon.
There has been no claim of responsibility for Sunday's back-to-back bombings. This is the second time, however, that the French engineering firm Razel had been targeted by a terrorist attack. Al-Qaeda Organisation in the Islamic Maghreb claimed responsibility for the first blast last September. Three Razel employees, a driver and five police escorts were injured when a bomb was detonated next to their vehicle in the Koudiet Asaserdoune area of Lakhdaria.
After learning of the bombings on Sunday night, French President Nicolas Sarkozy offered President Abdelaziz Bouteflika his "unwavering support in the determined struggle against terrorism".
"My thoughts...go to the people and the authorities of Algeria, who fight the scourge of terrorism with courage and determination. Their fight is also our own," French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said in a separate statement.
The train station attack is the third in five days and the second to implement near-simultaneous bombings.
Two people died last Wednesday when a suicide bomber blew himself up outside a military barracks in Bordj El Kiffan (25 km east of Algiers), moments after a remotely-detonated explosion at a café several metres away created a distraction. The next day, a roadside bomb killed six soldiers in Cap Djinet, near Dellys in the Boumerdès wilaya.
Following the most recent attacks, local press confirmed that security has been reinforced in the region, particularly in the forest area of Takhoukht.
According to security expert Mouloud Morchedi, this attack comes as "part of al-Qaeda Organisation in the Islamic Maghreb's plan to return to confrontations after they were forced into a corner by the security forces through the combing operations that have been going on for a whole year now against their strongholds in Kabylia region, Batna, and Tabsa", he told Magharebia.
Security officers have also curbed the movement of terrorists and killed scores of them, including emirs, in recent months, Morchedi added.
He noted that the escalation of attacks coincides with the summer season, when more than two million expatriate Algerians return to their native country to visit their families.
The bombings also occurred on the eve of the Algeria International Exhibition, in which many European countries and the US are slated to participate. To little avail, al-Qaeda has posted internet comments designed to frighten foreign companies into withdrawing from the Algerian market, he added.
Algerians condemned the attacks and called on the security authorities to deal firmly with the terrorists.
"When I hear such news, I feel that our future is vague," said Reda, who works in an internet café. "We sometimes lose hope because we thought the crisis was over three or four years ago."
Chakib Lounis agreed with Reda on how to punish those responsible for the recent bombings.
"Algeria should carry out the death penalty against all who are involved in these criminal acts," he said.
Addendum: The Algerian government denied local and international press reports on June 9th that 12 people were killed in two bomb blasts in Beni Amrane. The National Defence Ministry said that the only fatalities in Beni Amrani were French engineer Pierre Nowacki and his Algerian driver Syed Samir after they hit a remote-controlled roadside bomb, while a security agent and a fire-fighter were slightly injured by the second blast.
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Solution Posted 2008-06-09
What speed, Magharebia! For your information, Reuters just recognised this news as false! But, the passing along of false information has always existed, as it suits their dealings or, in any case, their fantasies. A word to the wise!
ryad Posted 2008-06-10
The story of the bombing in the station is actually false!!!
moi Posted 2008-06-10
This information is totally false. There were two deaths.
policier-algerien Posted 2008-06-10
There were two deaths: a Frenchman and his Algerian driver. Why are you lying? You need to write the truth. You are going to pay quite heavily before God for these lies.
redha Posted 2008-06-11
Magharebia; Sincerely, what you are writing—especially about Algeria—is not honest. Have a little professionalism, please.
reda Posted 2008-06-11
False news, you must make sure before publishing news especially of this type.
Solution Posted 2008-06-11
There is no point in allegedly making a correction as you did at the end of the article and removing the article from your front page of the edition, as the information has been know for two days now. My comment was submitted two days ago as well! There is no excuse, Magharebia! Your will to harm Algeria reigns supreme. You are as cunning as the Jews. In any case, personally, what I have deduced from your behaviour is best expressed in a Quranic verse: “If you reach a misfortune, they will rejoice, and if a blessing is granted to you, they will be saddened.” Magharebia is a militantly nationalistic, anti-Algerian newspaper! How else can this silence of yours about the events in Sidi Ifni coupled with this disinformation you are sending out be interpreted? It is worth taking a look, because there might be a link between these two things.
MassNssen Posted 2008-06-11
To Mr. Ryad: So as to persuade yourself that the situation described by this website is false, you are going to end up living in some parallel world where terrorist attacks are nothing but inventions. I will start from the beginning: I am from Tizi and, believe me, this world is real and the torpor and the waiting for tomorrow will leave you disenchanted. But, then, perhaps I myself am an invention!?
lembarki jamel Posted 2008-06-11
A European journalist gave a false scoop and certain Arab press agencies of our so-called “brotherly”, Muslim countries spread this false information unscrupulously. Indeed, Roumi or Gaouri would never lie. He told the truth. What shame this has brought to us Arab Muslims. For pity’s sake, apologise to the Algerian people.
Ego Posted 2008-06-11
An article with false information should, in principle, be retracted. Otherwise, disinformation is not far off. As for your credibility, it is even far more far off!
nadia Posted 2008-06-12
Stop throwing fuel on the fire. You most certainly want to see Algeria covered in blood and fire. You need first of all to verify the truthfulness of your facts before publishing your articles. God willing, thanks to its valiant children, Algeria will come out ahead of this deadlock.
tayeb Posted 2008-06-12
Unfortunately, our friends here are repeating things like parrots. Let them say what they will.
amir Posted 2008-06-13
Hi, I am Algerian. Do you think that terrorism will return to Algeria??
REZKI Posted 2008-06-14
To Nadia: I do not know if you are Algerian, because you always defend the Polisario. But, I understand why: this rotten government, which maintains your survival and is not able to manage a country, just started batting its eyes at Kabylie. Our exclusion, our poverty, and even our cities (including Algiers) are turning this into a trash heap. So, stop with your foolishness. The only solution is a radical change of the regime. God willing, we will judge them and they will pay for this. And they know what this is about: the ministers have different citizenship and they are diverting state money to Swiss banks. (Bouteflika does it with his own bare hands!) And, it is the former Harkis who are now generals who are commanding the country!!!
slim16 Posted 2008-06-15
To Magharebia: It is already 15 June and you still have not made the gesture of removing this article from 9 June filled with lies. One more thing: months and months have gone by now that you have used the photograph above and to the right under the heading “Special Coverage”. It’s been a year since 11 March 2007: let us have a new face please!!! Don’t you have any other photos to post? Or is this just disinformation? You are becoming impotent!
Mourad Posted 2008-06-15
Thank you for participating in this propaganda. It does nothing but worsen your credibility, which was already weakened by “Juene afrique” in an article on page 50 of issue 2466 under the title of “Maghreb pour les ânes” (“Maghreb for Jackasses”).
tizi Posted 2008-06-16
And the dead in Sidi Ifni? You nothings, bunch of rats.
Jean Posted 2008-06-16
To Rezki: Do you think that the Minister is the one to take the broom and clean the city if the nobodies are dirty? Whoever is clean-even if he lives in a shanty town-his belief and cleanliness are tainted by the devil, and then they throw the nobodies to the state. In Kabylie and Boumerdes, the people still support terrorism--the sand mafia! You were once against the gendarme in Kabylie, now you are praying to God that the gendarme comes back to the city because crime and delinquency has become the fashion of the times. Be realistic. There is no reason to exaggerate you comments because everybody knows the truth. Everybody has eyes in this world.
Hakim Posted 2008-06-16
Rezki the impostor! Your question to find out if Nadia is Algerian is completely ridiculous. But, being a Moroccan who hides behind the name Rezki in order to sow discord, this is the most worthwhile response you can make. Moreover, you indeed demonstrate that you are not proud of your origin! You have been betrayed by one small single phrase that anyone could let slip. I quote: "...this rotten government, which maintains YOUR survival..."! You made a grave error, my poor frustrated one! Furthermore, the wretches you talk about are the same ones who we should be returning insults to! The proof is that you are the one begging Algeria, hands clasped, to open the border with you, not the other way around! Let us hope that the Trojan Horse that is Magharebia will pretend to be neutral and publish this response. In fact, this newspaper is trying to deceive the Algeria, making us believe it accords us the right to express ourselves while it is dependant on Moroccan services. Decidedly, the Moroccans are wanting for a war!
nadia Posted 2008-06-17
To Rezki: It is not with words that the fate of a nation is changed. You have put on quite a show, marking your country up all over the chalkboard. This is truly shameful. You have allowed yourself to reproach me, even doubting that I am Algerian. What more??? I am Algerian. I live in Souche and I am a native of Algiers. You thus do not have the ability to speak in the name of all the inhabitants of Algiers. True, I did not live through the revolution, but my parents have inculcated in me a love for our patrimony. I love my country for all its points, both good and bad.
صابر Posted 2008-06-17
Salam. I am an young Algerian man. My name is Saber. I am concerned about my country but some Arab papers scorn Algeria. By God this is unacceptable. You have said much about Algeria in crimes, terrorism and explosions which happened in Algeria. a false piece of news on 09062008, by God it is not from me. We hope that Arab papers will respect the feeling of others without embarrassment. I am the son of Algeria, the son of Houari Boumediene and the son of Bouteflika. I am jealous for the national flag. I ask Arab papers not to interfere with Algeria. Long live Algeria. Triumph and eternity to the faithful martyrs. Salam.
MEZ. FR Posted 2008-06-18
Hakim and Nadia; I can confirm what was said by Rezki, a friend of mine. He responded to you with evidence backing him. I know him and he is not fed off the crumbs of the generals like you are. He is a good guy, unlike you, and that is how he left the country. He loves his country and he is not willing to swallow everything that is told to him. He is a true Algerian. He came from Souche forever ago. He is not a wretch like you, Hakim. Wait for his response, you little idiot.
Hakim Posted 2008-06-19
To my compatriot, Nadia: Let the wretches like Rezki keep barking; they do not merit our distraction! They are Harki and other military rejects! Sooner or later, they are going to pay. You will see them shaking and snivelling without any decency just like they did back in 1962! Simply put: they do not belong with us! Be patient, my sister, everything comes to an end!
djaouti mohamed cherif Posted 2008-06-20
God protect our homeland and god guide us; it is difficult to negotiate peace with an armed opposition group that was known as being terrorist in Algeria before 2007. We find the deaths of Major-General Smaïn Lamari (also known as: Hadj Smaïn, the forgotten messiah, the forgotten saint) and, today, 20 June 2008, General Brahim Fodhil Chérif in the willaya of Arhat in Tipaza. I also knew the latter somewhat. I will say before all of you that he was a saint. May God rest this messiah’s, this long awaited saviour’s, this messiah’s soul. We only take with our goods deeds with us into the afterlife, and it is with these that we may see our sole God, Allah. Thank you Magharebia. I would like to inform my brothers in Morocco, in the Grand Maghreb, in the Muslim World and throughout the whole world to let us speak humanely. From Algeria, Signed, Aissa
omar ben mohamed Posted 2008-06-20
This space is not intended for chatting. In the United States, they had just one 9-11. But, with a government like ours, we are at least partially on the verge of being a Third World country. My God protect us from all that. We are tired of war in Algeria. We are now veterans of the 1990’s. We need new people to combat this destabilising anarchy. We pass the torch to you.
nadia Posted 2008-06-21
Hurling insults on this website has become commonplace under the blessing of Magharebia, which censors some and permits others to spread their venom. Unfortunately, we have fallen into this trap. The proof is that we are tearing each other apart in full sight and knowledge of the entire world. Keep up the good work everybody!
ينال القيروتي Posted 2008-06-22
I want articles about the safety, security and movement of trains.
Omar Posted 2008-06-23
To MEZ.FR, you confirm that your friend Rezki is Algerian and you back him up 100 percent in slagging off his country, what's more you seem to agree and relish on his thoughts, yet, you don't reveal your own nationality. How does this make you credible? I think both of you are nothing but Scum of the earth, you are no better than the Harkis who slagged off the Algerian Revolution and betrayed their brothers in order to get "a pat on the head and a bone thrown at them". And before you form a negative opinion about me and accuse me of feeding of the crumbs of the Generals, let me just put your mind at rest, for i am an Algerian 100 percent, resident in the UK for the past 35 years and as well as having an Algerian passport i also hold a British one, but this doesn't stop me from loving me my country Algeria to the death, and i can not stomach the thoughts of people like you. I have met people of all races and ideologies in my life, but i have never met a Chinese who slags off communist China, nor a Jew slagging off Zionist Israel, nor a Bangladeshi slagging off his starving country, nor a Cuban, Mexican, Russian and so on. You two should be ashamed of yourselves as you have neither scruples nor integrity. And let me remind you that the majority of Algerians are thankful to the Algerian Army which kept the country united and still going despite everything thrown at it. Algeria has enough enemies, and could do without denigrating remarks from her own sons, thank you.
Algerien Posted 2008-06-24
Omar Ben Mohamed, you are right. We ought to use napalm to burn these vermin terrorists. These bloodthirsty terrorists, who kill innocents, should be burnt in this world before dying and being burnt in the eternal hellfire. Oh God, burn them down in this life and the next... all the GSPC, al-Qaeda and corrupt criminals.
Omar Posted 2008-06-26
Please, Magharebia, translate my comment written in English, because I wrote it in response to Rezki’s and MEZ.FR’s comments on this article and I would like to pay them their due. I wrote in English because it is easier for me, given I have been living in the United Kingdom for 35 years. I express myself a lot better in this language. I see that you have translated all the comments except mine, so I have to respectfully ask that you please translate this comment. Thank you in advance for this. And another big “thank you” for the great job you are doing.
Omar Posted 2008-07-03
To Magharebia, a thousand times thank you for accepting to translate my comment on this article from English to French and i must admit, i am really amazed that you have carried out my request as i did not have high hopes, and this is not through ill-feeling about you or lack of trust, but simply due to the fact that you might be overwhelmed with work every day. In my own opinion you are the best News Website in the whole of the Maghreb and your articles are very objective and far from biased, so needless to say that i am hooked on checking your website every day for daily news of the Maghreb. So once again a big Thank you and i shall continue on being a loyal reader and contributor of your site with regular constructive comments of mine. Omar the Algerian from London.
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