APW19980207.0702
NEWS
NEWSWIRE
At least five people were killed and 20 injured when two bombs exploded
Saturday, on the eve of the arrival of a fact-finding mission from
the European Parliament. Three people were killed and eight injured
when a home-made device exploded early Saturday in a bustling cafe
in central Algiers at 0830, authorities said. Later Saturday, another
bomb exploded in the town of Blida, 50 kilometers south of the capital.
Two people died and a dozen others were injured, authorities said.
No further details were available on the attack. There were no claims
of responsibility for either bombing but such incidents are usually
blamed on the Armed Islamic Group, which is seeking to overthrow the
military-backed government. The Algerian government says 26,500 people
have been killed and 21,000 injured since the start of the insurgency;
independent estimates have said as many as 75,000 or more have been
killed. The latest violence came hours before the arrival in Algiers
Sunday of a nine-member delegation from the European Parliament which
will be headed by France's Andre Soulier. The mission will remain
in Algiers for five days and meet with politicians, human rights groups
and feminist groups, authorities said. For the time being, there are
no plans to travel outside the capital, they said. Algiers has long
resisted visits by outsiders and even humanitarian aid saying it amounted
to meddling in the country's internal affairs. Prime Minister Ahmed
Ouyahia on Saturday reiterated recent criticisms of foreign delegations,
expressing his ``rejection of any foreign interference.'' During an
11-hour parliament debate on the country's security situation, he
also threatened to take legal action against anybody ``slandering''
the army by claiming they might be behind some of the recent massacres.
Meanwhile, the opposition Front of Socialist Forces called for a ``march
for peace'' on Thursday in downtown Algiers to repudiate the violence
which has wracked the country since 1992. (parf-ip)