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| 'Dozens killed' in Algeria blasts | 'Dozens killed' in Algeria blasts |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| The Algerian capital, Algiers, has been rocked by two deadly bomb attacks, on the country's Constitutional Council and the offices of the United Nations. | The Algerian capital, Algiers, has been rocked by two deadly bomb attacks, on the country's Constitutional Council and the offices of the United Nations. |
| Medical officials have said more than 60 people were killed, but Algeria's Interior Minister, Noureddine Yazid Zerhouni, has only confirmed 22 deaths. | Medical officials have said more than 60 people were killed, but Algeria's Interior Minister, Noureddine Yazid Zerhouni, has only confirmed 22 deaths. |
| The bombs were the latest in a series of attacks in Algeria this year. | The bombs were the latest in a series of attacks in Algeria this year. |
| No group has admitted responsibility, but Mr Zerhouni has blamed a militant Islamist group linked to al-Qaeda. | No group has admitted responsibility, but Mr Zerhouni has blamed a militant Islamist group linked to al-Qaeda. |
| A recently-arrested militant had revealed that the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC) had planned several months ago to attack one of Tuesday's targets, Mr Zerhouni said. | A recently-arrested militant had revealed that the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC) had planned several months ago to attack one of Tuesday's targets, Mr Zerhouni said. |
| BBC Security Correspondent Frank Gardner says the manner of the bombings and choice of targets suggest the involvement of the group, which is now known as al-Qaeda in the Land of the Islamic Maghreb. | BBC Security Correspondent Frank Gardner says the manner of the bombings and choice of targets suggest the involvement of the group, which is now known as al-Qaeda in the Land of the Islamic Maghreb. |
| I would like to condemn it in the strongest terms - it cannot be justified in any circumstances UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon href="/1/hi/world/africa/7139331.stm">In quotes: World reaction class="" href="/1/hi/in_pictures/7138181.stm">In pictures: Algiers blastsAlgeria's shifting violence | |
| Earlier, Algerian Prime Minister Abdelaziz Belkhadem called off a cabinet meeting to visit hospitals where the injured were being treated. | Earlier, 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, said words could not express his sense of shock, outrage and anger at the attack on the UN mission. | The UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, said words could not express his sense of shock, outrage and anger at the attack on the UN mission. |
| "This was an abjectly cowardly strike against civilian officials serving humanity's highest ideals under the UN banner - base, indecent and unjustifiable by even the most barbarous political standard," he said in a statement. | "This was an abjectly cowardly strike against civilian officials serving humanity's highest ideals under the UN banner - base, indecent and unjustifiable by even the most barbarous political standard," he said in a statement. |
| Map showing bomb blast locations | Map showing bomb blast locations |
| The UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Antonio Guterres, whose staff were caught in the blast, told the BBC that he had "no doubt that the UN was targeted". | The UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Antonio Guterres, whose staff were caught in the blast, told the BBC that he had "no doubt that the UN was targeted". |
| 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 Constitutional Council, a bus packed with students was passing by when the vehicle containing the bomb exploded at around 0930 (0830 GMT). | In the attack near the Constitutional Council, a bus packed with students was passing by when the vehicle containing the bomb exploded at around 0930 (0830 GMT). |
| 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. |
| Witness: 'Everything fell'Profile: Al-Qaeda in N Africa | Witness: 'Everything fell'Profile: Al-Qaeda in N Africa |
| At the UN offices in Hydra, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) building 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, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) building 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 UN spokeswoman, Marie Okabe, said unconfirmed preliminary information indicated that four UN staff members may have been killed. | A UN spokeswoman, Marie Okabe, said unconfirmed preliminary information indicated that four UN staff members may have been killed. |
| "We're still trying to account for 14 people," she told reporters in New York. | "We're still trying to account for 14 people," she told reporters in New York. |
| However, the Algerian interior minister said no UN personnel had been among the 12 dead bodies so far recovered in Hydra. | However, the Algerian interior minister said no UN personnel had been among the 12 dead bodies so far recovered in Hydra. |
| 'Suicide bomber' | 'Suicide bomber' |
| Mr Zerhouni said the explosions had been caused by two car bombs, and that the one at the UN was triggered by a suicide bomber. | Mr 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 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 Land of the Islamic Maghreb (AQLIM), 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 Land of the Islamic Maghreb (AQLIM), including a triple suicide bombing in Algiers in April which killed 33 people. |
| The militant group was previously known as the GSPC, but changed its name when it reportedly joined forces with al-Qaeda last year. | The militant group was previously known as the GSPC, but changed its name when it reportedly 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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