US embassy cable - 05ALGIERS1304

UNCLAS ALGIERS 001304 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PHUM, PTER, AG 
SUBJECT: AMARI SAIFI AKA ABDERREZAK AL-PARA SENTENCED IN 
ABSTENTIA TO LIFE IMPRISONMENT 
 
1. (U) According to Algerian press reports June 25, 2005, the 
Algerian militant and former number two of the al-Qaida 
linked Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC), Amari 
Saifi aka Abderrazak Al-Para, was sentenced in abstentia to 
life in prison for organizing a terrorist group and for 
spreading terror among the population.  On trial also were 
five of his accomplices, though only two of the five were 
present at the one-day trial; both were sentenced to two 
years in prison.  Three others were acquitted. 
 
2. (U) Al-Para is considered the mastermind behind the summer 
2003 kidnappings of 32 European tourists, mostly German, one 
of whom died of heatstroke in the Sahara Desert.  He is also 
responsible for the killings of 43 Algerian soldiers in 
January that same year and a 2002 attack which killed 10 
people.  Al-Para will also stand trial for these individual 
criminal acts, according to press accounts. 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
3. (SBU) In response to a lawyer's query regarding al-Para's 
absence, the presiding judge remarked, "For (purposes of) 
Algerian justice, Amari Saifi is not under detention."  No 
further explanation was provided, however, leading to the 
possibility that the police never turned al-Para over to 
judicial authorities after his maximum 12 days of detention. 
Al-Para's in absentia sentencing may also be a result of 
perceived security threats should he to physically attend the 
trial.  ERDMAN