Four Moroccans arrested in Algeria: army now broadcasts their “confessions”
One month after the arrest in Tizi Ouzou of six people presented as members of the MAK, including four Moroccans, the Algerian army is taking a new step: it is broadcasting “confessions” attributed to the group and claims that it wanted to disrupt the elections on the instructions of the Kabyle movement.
The case broke in July. The Algerian authorities then announced the dismantling of a group of six people, including four Moroccan nationals presented as living illegally in Tizi Ouzou. Bladi.net had then noted that no identity or specific material evidence concerning the four Moroccans had been made public.
On Bladi.net : article 122515
This time, the Algerian Ministry of Defence is highlighting filmed statements. In the excerpt broadcast by Algerian public television, one of the men presented as belonging to the group claims to have received instructions from members of the MAK, notably naming its leader Ferhat Mehenni, to prevent the elections from taking place.
Four Moroccans at the heart of the accusations
The MDN presents the group as a whole as being linked to the MAK and composed of two Algerians and four Moroccans. The Algerian security services had announced its dismantling in Tizi Ouzou during the legislative election period, accusing its members of having sought to disrupt the vote and prevent voters from participating.
The new video therefore lends greater substance to the account presented by Algiers since July, but still does not independently establish the allegations against the four Moroccan nationals. Their identities, their individual roles and any material evidence establishing their links with the MAK have not been made public in the available material.
Above all, nothing in the information disclosed so far establishes any involvement by the Moroccan authorities. The fact that four of the people arrested hold Moroccan nationality does not, by itself, constitute proof of a role for Rabat in this affair.
The full segment devoted by Algerian public television to this operation is due to be broadcast on Saturday 15 August. It could provide new information about the four Moroccans and about the contacts that the Algerian army claims to have established between the group and the MAK.