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Update: Saturday, 15 May 2010    

Belmokhtar refused to surrende

Hadj Bettou middle man between Belmokhtar and security services
Monday Jun 11 2007.

Contacts engaged by security services with the Chief terrorist Mokhtar Belmokhtar to urge him give up in fighting has came up to a stalemate, well informed sources reported. The terrorist has ejected every offer meant to extinguish the legal suit.

Touaregs senior notables Hadj Bettou has undertook a mediation role between security services and Mokhtar Belmokhtar during a year to convince the latter give up his terrorist activity he started by his return from Afghanistan earlier in the 90s, a well informed source told El Khabar.

According to the sources, Hadj Bettou repeated meetings with the “masked squad” have taken place in Algeria-Niger contingent border areas. The sources further mention that Bettou conveyed security services message to Belmokhtar namely the extinguishment of legal suits by virtue of the Charter for Peace and National Reconciliation. Sources made clear that authorities have shown their good will towards “the Sahara Emir” as they allowed his family visiting him in the depth of the Sahara.

Sources also mentioned that the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat commandment of the Eastern region has followed the course of contacts and have been concerned over Belmokhtar acceptance of the offer.

To recall, Belmokhtar is one of al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (former GSPC) council of notables member, his full name is Mokhtar Ben Mohamed Belmokhtar alias Khalid Abu al-Abbas.

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