Algeria has announced the arrest of several people accused of being part of“a spy network”about a week before the September 7 presidential election.
The public prosecutor’s office in Tlemcen, in western Algeria, announced on Sunday the arrest of several people, including four of Moroccan nationality, accused of being part of a“a spy network”about a week before the September 7 presidential election.
“The investigating judge at the Tlemcen court ordered, on Sunday, the provisional detention of seven individuals, including four Moroccans, following the recent dismantling of an espionage and intelligence network, with a view to undermining state security.”announced the prosecutor’s office in this border town with Morocco, quoted by the government press agency APS.
A judicial investigation has been opened against “persons identified by the investigation, under criminal charges of intelligence with a foreign country, or one of its agents”pour “espionage crime” as well as for “illegal entry into the territory for three Moroccan nationals”the prosecution said. “This network recruited Moroccan and Algerian nationals with the aim of undermining Algerian security and administrative institutions.”the prosecution further indicated.
The suspect entered Algeria illegally
Algeria is holding a presidential election next Saturday, with incumbent President Abdelmadjid Tebboune as the big favorite, facing an Islamist candidate, Abdelaali Hassani, and a socialist candidate, Youssef Aouchiche. According to the Tlemcen prosecutor’s office, this is following the arrest on August 24 of a Moroccan national “entered illegally” in Algeria and identified by his initials «Z.M»that this business of“espionage” was discovered after his cell phone data was exploited.
The suspect works, according to the prosecution, “within a network of espionage and intelligence on behalf of a foreign party, in the company of Moroccan and Algerian nationals”After his arrest, six other people, three Algerians and three Moroccans, were arrested on August 28.
Algiers broke off diplomatic relations with Rabat in August 2021, denouncing a series of“hostile acts” of its neighbor, particularly concerning the disputed territory of Western Sahara, normalization with Israel as well as support for the separatists of the Movement for the Autonomy of Kabylia (MAK) which Algiers has classified as a terrorist organization. Morocco had considered this decision “completely unjustified”rejecting accusations from the neighboring country.
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