An Algerian militant considered the mastermind of the 2003 kidnapping of 32 European tourists in the Sahara desert was sentenced on Saturday to life in prison for helping to create a terror group, but his whereabouts remained a mystery. Amari Saifi, a leader of the al-Qaida-linked Salafist Group for Call and Combat, didn't appear in court even though he was captured by Chadian rebels, then mysteriously turned over to Libya before being handed to Algerian police last fall.Saifi, a former Algerian paratrooper known by his nom de guerre Al Para, was convicted by the criminal court for "constitution of a terrorist group" and for "propagating terror among a population." Two of five defendants who were present for the one-day trial were sentenced to two years in prison. Three others were acquitted. "For Algerian justice, Amari Saifi is not under detention," said the judge presiding over the trial in response to a lawyer's query. No explanation was given, but the statement suggested the possibility that police never turned Saifi over to judicial authorities after his maximum 12 days of detention. Names of judges typically are not provided in Algeria because of terrorism concerns by Islamic extremists.
The United States and European countries, particularly Germany, had pressed for Saifi's capture as he was wanted in the kidnapping in 2003 of 32 European tourists, mostly German, one of whom died of heatstroke, and in the killings the same year of 43 Algerian soldiers. Saifi was captured by rebels who said they came across him and accomplices in the desert as the men wandered in northern Chad, in flight from West African armed forces, who were supported by the United States and France. He then fell into the hands of Libya after months of negotiations with various countries. Libya turned the suspect over to Algeria on Oct. 27, 2004, the Algerian Interior Ministry said at the time. Germany had issued arrest warrants for Saifi and other leaders of his terror group in connection with the kidnappings. Algerian commandos freed 14 of the captives, while Germany reportedly paid a ransom for the remaining 17 who had been taken to neighboring Mali. One hostage died of heat stroke. Germany refused to confirm the reports.