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| Dozens killed in Algeria bombings | Dozens killed in Algeria bombings |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| At least 62 people have died in two bomb blasts in the Algerian capital, Algiers, officials have said. | At least 62 people have died in two bomb blasts in the Algerian capital, Algiers, officials have said. |
| The first explosion blew apart a bus packed with students in the Ben Aknoun district, near the Supreme Court. | The first explosion blew apart a bus packed with students in the Ben Aknoun district, near the Supreme Court. |
| That was followed shortly afterwards by a second blast at the United Nations offices in the Hydra neighbourhood. At least 13 UN staff members are missing. | That was followed shortly afterwards by a second blast at the United Nations offices in the Hydra neighbourhood. At least 13 UN staff members are missing. |
| Throughout 2007 there have been a series of bomb attacks across Algeria in which scores of people have died. | Throughout 2007 there have been a series of bomb attacks across Algeria in which scores of people have died. |
| No group has yet admitted responsibility for Tuesday's attacks, but correspondents say the manner of the bombings and choice of targets suggest the involvement of the North African branch of al-Qaeda. | No group has yet admitted responsibility for Tuesday's attacks, but correspondents say the manner of the bombings and choice of targets suggest the involvement of the North African branch of al-Qaeda. |
| I would like to condemn it in the strongest terms - it cannot be justified in any circumstances UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon class="" href="/1/hi/in_pictures/7138181.stm">In pictures: Algiers blasts class="" href="/1/hi/world/africa/7138835.stm">Algeria's shifting violence | |
| Algerian Prime Minister Abdelaziz Belkhadem called off a cabinet meeting to visit hospitals where the injured were being treated. | Algerian Prime Minister Abdelaziz Belkhadem called off a cabinet meeting to visit hospitals where the injured were being treated. |
| "These are crimes that targeted innocent people. Students and school children were among the victims. Nothing can justify the crime," he said. | "These are crimes that targeted innocent people. Students and school children were among the victims. Nothing can justify the crime," he said. |
| The UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, also condemned the bombings, saying they were "just unacceptable". | The UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, also condemned the bombings, saying they were "just unacceptable". |
| "I would like to condemn it in the strongest terms. It cannot be justified in any circumstances," he told reporters. | "I would like to condemn it in the strongest terms. It cannot be justified in any circumstances," he told reporters. |
| Map showing bomb blast locations | Map showing bomb blast locations |
| The US government called the attacks an act of "senseless violence" on the innocent by the "enemies of humanity". | The US government called the attacks an act of "senseless violence" on the innocent by the "enemies of humanity". |
| Students killed | Students killed |
| In the attack near the court, a bus packed with university students was passing by the vehicle containing the bomb when it exploded at around 0930 (0830 GMT). | In the attack near the court, a bus packed with university students was passing by the vehicle containing the bomb when it exploded at around 0930 (0830 GMT). |
| Witness: 'Everything fell' href="/1/hi/world/africa/6545855.stm">Profile: Al-Qaeda in N Africa | |
| Security officials said the bus took the full force of the blast and was ripped apart, killing and injuring many of those on board. | Security officials said the bus took the full force of the blast and was ripped apart, killing and injuring many of those on board. |
| At the UN offices in Hydra, it was the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) building which bore the brunt of the blast. A residential building and the UNHCR headquarters across the road were also damaged, witnesses said. | At the UN offices in Hydra, it was the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) building which bore the brunt of the blast. A residential building and the UNHCR headquarters across the road were also damaged, witnesses said. |
| Sophie Haspeslagh, who works for the UNDP, told the BBC that she was in a corridor when the blast occurred. | Sophie Haspeslagh, who works for the UNDP, told the BBC that she was in a corridor when the blast occurred. |
| "Everything shattered. Everything fell. I hid under a piece of furniture so I wouldn't be hit by the debris," she said. | "Everything shattered. Everything fell. I hid under a piece of furniture so I wouldn't be hit by the debris," she said. |
| "I was holding my jacket on my face because I couldn't breathe." | "I was holding my jacket on my face because I couldn't breathe." |
| Ms Haspeslagh said a large part of the UNDP building was destroyed and it was feared people were trapped inside. | Ms Haspeslagh said a large part of the UNDP building was destroyed and it was feared people were trapped inside. |
| A spokesman for the UNDP, Jean Fabre, said at least 12 UN staff members were missing, while the UNHCR said one of its drivers had been killed and another was missing. | A spokesman for the UNDP, Jean Fabre, said at least 12 UN staff members were missing, while the UNHCR said one of its drivers had been killed and another was missing. |
| 'Suicide bomber' | 'Suicide bomber' |
| Algerian Interior Minister Yazid Zerhouni said the explosions had been caused by two car bombs, and that the one at the UN was triggered by a suicide bomber. | Algerian Interior Minister Yazid Zerhouni said the explosions had been caused by two car bombs, and that the one at the UN was triggered by a suicide bomber. |
| A bus full of university students was ripped apart in the court bombing | A bus full of university students was ripped apart in the court bombing |
| Ms Haspeslagh said one of her colleagues had seen a white van drive into the main UN offices then explode. | Ms Haspeslagh said one of her colleagues had seen a white van drive into the main UN offices then explode. |
| There has been no claim of responsibility. | There has been no claim of responsibility. |
| There have been a series of bomb attacks across Algeria during the past year in which scores of people have died. | There have been a series of bomb attacks across Algeria during the past year in which scores of people have died. |
| In September more than 50 people were killed in suicide attacks - one of them involved a truck packed with explosives being driven into a coast-guard base. | In September more than 50 people were killed in suicide attacks - one of them involved a truck packed with explosives being driven into a coast-guard base. |
| Al-Qaeda link? | Al-Qaeda link? |
| Members of the public have recently held rallies in protest at the upsurge in violence. | Members of the public have recently held rallies in protest at the upsurge in violence. |
| VIOLENCE IN 2007 6 September: 22 die in bombing in Batna claimed by al-Qaeda in Islamic Maghreb8 September: 32 die in bombing in Dellys claimed by al-Qaeda in the Islamic MaghrebJuly: Suicide bomber targets barracks near Bouira, killing nineMay: Dozens killed in run-up to elections, in fighting between military and militantsApril: 33 killed in Algiers in attacks claimed by al-Qaeda in the Islamic MaghrebMarch: Three Algerians and a Russian killed in attack on gas pipeline workersFebruary: Seven bombs kill six east of Algiers | VIOLENCE IN 2007 6 September: 22 die in bombing in Batna claimed by al-Qaeda in Islamic Maghreb8 September: 32 die in bombing in Dellys claimed by al-Qaeda in the Islamic MaghrebJuly: Suicide bomber targets barracks near Bouira, killing nineMay: Dozens killed in run-up to elections, in fighting between military and militantsApril: 33 killed in Algiers in attacks claimed by al-Qaeda in the Islamic MaghrebMarch: Three Algerians and a Russian killed in attack on gas pipeline workersFebruary: Seven bombs kill six east of Algiers |
| Many of the recent blasts have been claimed by members of al-Qaeda's North Africa wing, calling themselves al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, including a triple suicide bombing in Algiers in April which killed 33 people. | Many of the recent blasts have been claimed by members of al-Qaeda's North Africa wing, calling themselves al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, including a triple suicide bombing in Algiers in April which killed 33 people. |
| The militant group was previously known as the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC) but changed its name when it joined forces with al-Qaeda last year. | The militant group was previously known as the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC) but changed its name when it joined forces with al-Qaeda last year. |
| BBC regional analyst Roger Hardy says it is unclear how far the group really is linked to Osama Bin Laden's organisation, and how far it is merely inspired by it. | BBC regional analyst Roger Hardy says it is unclear how far the group really is linked to Osama Bin Laden's organisation, and how far it is merely inspired by it. |
| What is worrying Western experts and North African governments is the possibility that radical Islamists in the region no longer have a merely local agenda but are linked to a wider web of international networks. | What is worrying Western experts and North African governments is the possibility that radical Islamists in the region no longer have a merely local agenda but are linked to a wider web of international networks. |
| Algeria suffered a brutal and bloody civil war in the 1990s, but in recent years violence had declined. | Algeria suffered a brutal and bloody civil war in the 1990s, but in recent years violence had declined. |
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