Algerian authorities have arrested four Tunisians suspected of planning to join an underground Algerian Islamic militant group with ties to al Qaeda, a security source said on Monday. The source, who declined to be named, said the Tunisians were arrested on the outskirts of Algiers on Saturday and were under interrogation. He declined to give further details.The arrests came a week after six Tunisians, also suspected of planning to join the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC), were detained in a villa in the eastern city Annaba, according to security sources. The interior ministry has not commented on the arrests.
Analysts say the recent arrival of foreign fighters is a sign the GSPC, whose leadership has pledged allegiance to al Qaeda, is finding it hard to recruit locally after most of its top members died in battle or were arrested over the past year.
Foreigners have tended not to participate in a holy war or "jihad" against Algerian authorities, which began in 1992 when the army cancelled legislative elections a hardline Muslim party was poised to win. Only recently have Algerian militant groups begun supporting international jihad causes. "The infiltration of Tunisian rebels is a concern although we believe the authorities have a firm grip over the terrorism situation in Algeria despite sporadic violence," said a Western diplomat, who declined to be named. "We don't yet know if these are big fish terrorists."
Newspaper El Khabar on Monday quoted security sources as saying that the four Tunisians in their 20s were detained in a house in Baraki, a district on the outskirts of Algiers, after crossing the border. The house owner was also arrested.
| "Mahmoud! Warm up the D-9!" |