LOC11:26
08:26 GMT
ALGIERS, Sept 2 (KUNA) -- The Al-Qaeda in the Arab Maghreb's (Tawheed and
Jihad) group said it had executed the Algerian Deputy Consul in northern Mali,
after holding him in captivity along with the Consul and two other diplomats
since April 5.
A statement by the group was read out by its leader AbulWaleed Al-Sahrawi,
which said that the execution took place Saturday after the ultimatum given to
the Algerian government expired.
The group had threatened to execute the diplomat on end of an initial
ultimatum on Tuesday but extended it for three days which expired Friday. The
group was hoping the Algerian government would change its position and agree
to free three Qaeda members including a senior leader arrested in August in
exchange for freeing the diplomat.
The group held the Algerian government "accountable for the consequences of
its obstinacy and poor decisions", after the negotiating team backed out from
an agreement in the last minute. The execution was "a lesson to the government,
" the statement said.
Tawheed and Jihad had outright called on civilians to avoid proximity to
government buildings across Algeria, which are considered "targets" for the
group, and had claimed responsibility for two bombings in March and another in
June.
The family of the executed diplomat, Al-Taher Tuwati pleaded with the group
and demanded the president exert more effort for his release, along with his
colleagues.
The authorities are still to issue any official statement regarding the
execution.(end)
ft.wsa
KUNA 021126 Sep 12NNNN