The New York judicial authorities announced Friday the indictment of Algerian jihadist Mokhtar Belmokhtar to attack the gas complex Anemas In Algeria in January, during which at least 38 hostages from ten countries were killed, including three Americans.
Eight charges were brought against the former leader of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), including "conspiracy to provide support to al-Qaeda and AQIM plot hostage taking, kidnapping of internationally protected persons, and conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction ", said the federal prosecutor in Manhattan Preet Bharara. This makes it liable to the death penalty, even though the prosecutor said he had not been located.
"Mokhtar Belmokhtar launched years ago a reign of terror to serve its self-proclaimed bloody jihad against the West goal. His efforts culminated in a five-day siege that killed dozens of people, including three Americans, and hundreds of others were afraid for their lives, "the prosecutor added in a statement ,.
"Belmokhtar brought terror and blood on these innocent people and now we intend to bring to justice," the attorney adds.
Five million dollars for his capture
The statement said that Belmokhtar claimed the attack on January 21, in an online video, after the end of the attack "in the name of Al-Qaeda."
In early June, Washington announced offer five million dollars for information leading to arrest Belmokhtar. In total, the State Department has offered up $ 23 million reward for information leading to his capture, the head of the Nigerian Islamist sect Boko Haram, or other officials of AQIM group, under a program called "Rewards for Justice" program, which provides money to an informant for the arrest or elimination individuals who threaten the interests of the United States.
Mokhtar Belmokhtar, 41, nicknamed "blind", created in late 2012 its own fighting unit, the "Signatories in the blood," to free themselves from the tutelage of Al-Qaeda the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) in which he became a dissident in October 2012, according to experts. The statement stressed that the Attorney Bharara Belmokhtar said in December 2012 that his group "was part of Al-Qaeda."
Three of the kidnappers, interviewed by U.S. authorities after the attack on the gas complex Amenas in the Algerian Sahara, said they were members an Al-Qaeda group, Belmokhtar was the "emir", also said the prosecutor.
Given up for dead by Chad in April Belmokhtar also claimed a double suicide bombing in Niger, which has a score of deaths in May and threatened to hit the country engaged in Mali.
Sentenced to death twice by the Algerian authorities, it would have also ordered the killing of four French in Mauritania in December 2007, and the kidnapping of two Canadians in 2008, three Spaniards and two Italians in 2009.
Canada also announced on June 26 that he had sued for his role in the kidnapping of two Canadian diplomats five years ago.
Born in June 1972 in Ghardaia, 600 km south of Algiers, Mokhtar Belmokhtar fought very young in Afghanistan in 1991 where he lost an eye, which earned him his nickname " , Laouar "(the blind).
AFP
genertri
genertri 