SNC-Lavalin Engineering Abducted in Algeria

Algiers - An armed group abducted an Algerian engineer in south-east Algeria who was working for the Canadian firm SNC-Lavalin, a daily newspaper reported on Tuesday.

The abduction, not yet claimed by any group, took place on Sunday morning in Djebahia, near Bouira, 120km from the capital Algiers, El-Watan said on its website.

The daily newspaper Echorouk reports that the armed group kidnapped the engineer, whose identity has not been revealed, into a vehicle and drove off to an "unknown destination".

The Canadian firm SNC-Lavalin is building a water distribution and recycling plant project in the Bouira region, south-east Algeria. - Sapa-AFP

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Shimron Issachar

Chad Rebels -Forces Progressistes pour l'Independence et la Renaissance-Operate from Cameroon

Peterkins Manyong
30 January 2009

-Following the inability of rebels based in Chad to oust President Idris Deby, a new resistance movement will reportedly operate from Cameroon, The Post has learnt.

The new rebel force, claiming to be named the "Forces Progressistes pour l'Independence et la Renaissance" roughly translated as "Progressive Force for Independence and Rebirth."

It has been launched by the "Forum for Exiled Chadians in Central Africa" better known by its French acronym as FECAT.

The politico-military movement, as it is described, has its headquarters in Douala and will reportedly launch attacks on the Chadian army from Southern Chad.

A Chadian citizen, who spoke to The Post in confidence, wondered how a serious movement which intends to carry out operations in the south of the country could succeed pitching tents thousands of kilometres away. He said he was sure that the aim of the movement was to force the government of President Deby to the negotiating table.

Already, seven of the more than a dozen rebels fighting the Chadian government formed a coalition a week ago and is in the process of absorbing many more.

Our informant attributed the failure so far of the Chadian rebel forces to greed and vaulting ambition of their leaders, each of whom is determined to be the next president.

He regretted that the press statement of the rebels would so scare the Chadian Government as to cause the tightening of security around the borders, making it difficult for Chadian citizens to return to their fatherland.

The Rest @ African News Analysis

AQIM Threatens Canadians in Africa UnlessThey Leave Afghanistan

A senior Taliban official has issued a very specific warning to the government of Canada and the people of this country that they will be targeted deliberately and with every intent to obliterate their presence in Afghanistan if Canadian troops are not pulled out of the country.

This is fair warning, we're informed, because Canadian troops, along with other countries' forces representing the international community in Afghanistan have occupied a sovereign country.The fanatical Taliban represent a legal presence in the country, since they are native to the country. NATO troops are not, and their presence there represents a challenge to the Taliban, Whose only purpose in battling the infidel presence is to restore Islam to the country, under Shariah law, a reality that the U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan overturned.

• The Taliban leadership purports to be outraged that Western forces have inadvertently - on lamentably too-frequent occasions targeting Taliban forces, but bombing off-target - killed Afghans.
• That the Taliban deliberately murder Afghans is a reality denied by them.They have pledged themselves to deliver a complementary dispatch to Canadian troops in their country. It is, after all, their country. To dispose within as they choose.
• Not, however, according to the current government of Afghanistan which has gone out of its way to reassure international troops that their presence is a requirement to permit the re-building of vital infrastructure, and to fend off the advance of the Taliban.This is the same Taliban that indiscriminately murders Afghan civilians, police and members of the armed services at will. To ensure that their message is delivered and well understood. Yet, the Taliban, and al-Qaeda, in the wake of harsh condemnation from some Islamic clerics and governments, now seek to distance themselves from that reality by claiming to have the best interests of Muslims at heart.

Recently, Al-Qaeda in the Magreb bombed a SNC-Lavalin bus taking the Canadian company's employees to their workplace in Algeria, result; all locally-engaged Algerians.

AQIM claimed the attack had long been planned to kill Canadians, and they celebrated the success of their mission, claiming the victims to be Canadian.Their statement claimed the attackers "made sure that passengers on the protected bus were Canadian citizens.

The Rest 0f the Commentary @ Generalspeaking

Canadian Company SNC-Lavalin Car bombed in Algeria

A dozen employees of Canada's SNC-Lavalin were killed in a car bombing in Algeria Wednesday, the latest in a wave of terrorist attacks that have targeted Canadian and Western companies in the North African country.

Fifteen staff of the Montreal-based engineering firm were also wounded in the early morning attack, which occurred when an explosive-laden vehicle struck their bus near a hotel entrance as the workers were on their way to the Koudiat Acerdoune water treatment plant.

A spokesperson for Canada's Foreign Affairs ministry said none of the dead or injured were Canadian citizens. All were believed to be Algerians locally employed by SNC-Lavalin, which said in a statement that "we strongly deplore this act of terrorism."

Canadian intelligence officials have been warning about the dangers to Canadians in Algeria, where a large number of Canadian companies operate despite car bombings, suicide attacks and a resurgent Islamist terrorist faction aligned with al-Qaeda.

"Terrorists have previously targeted Western interests, including Canadian interests, in Algeria," says a declassified Canadian intelligence report obtained by the National Post. "Canadian companies and individuals in Algeria have been attacked.

The report by the federal government's Integrated Threat Assessment Centre said guards protecting a subsidiary of SNC-Lavalin were attacked by gunmen in April 2006. Eight months later, a Canadian was wounded when a bus carrying Western oil workers was attacked with small arms and improvised explosive devices, the report said.

"Al Qaeda has identified oil infrastructure and workers, especially Westerners, as legitimate and priority worldwide targets," says the report, titled The Al Qaeda Threat to Canadian Interests in Algeria and released under the Access to Information Act, "Canada is considered a legitimate target by al-Qaeda."

Although nobody has yet claimed responsibility for the attack on the SNC-Lavalin employees, it is almost certainly the work of the Algerian branch of al-Qaeda, known as Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, or AQIM.

The terrorist group, which wants to turn Algeria into an Islamic state, was formerly known as the Salafist Group for Call and Combat, which was outlawed by Canada under the Anti-Terrorism Act in 2002.

The Canadian government describes the Salafist Group as "a radical Sunni Muslim group seeking to establish an Islamist government in Algeria" and says it targets foreigners and "has been affiliated to Osama bin Laden and groups financed by him."

Last weekend, following the killing of four aid workers near Kabul, the Taliban threatened more attacks against Canadians unless Ottawa pulled out of Afghanistan, but there is no indication Wednesday's bombing was related to that threat.

Algeria's Ambassador to Canada said in a recent interview, conducted before Wednesday's bombing, that the security situation in his country was not that bad.

"Like many countries, terrorist activism exists in Algeria but it is no longer a danger to the institutional, political or economic stability," Ambassador Smail Benamara said. "Concerning more particularly the situation of Canadians in Algeria, I can assure you that there are no specific risks."

Oil and gas fields in the south "enjoy specific safety precautions from the Algerian state. The interest and presence of Canadian companies in Algeria, such as Talisman Energy, Petro-Canada, First Calgary Petroleum and many others testify of this sector's vitality and the security of the workers of those companies, Canadian or others," the ambassador said.

SNC-Lavalin said in a statement that the health and safety of its employees was a "top priority." The engineering and construction group is building a water treatment plant near Bouira, 90 km southeast of the capital Algiers.

"In 50 years working worldwide, this is the first time that we have had a terrorist attack like this against us. It's a whole new ball game for us," said SNC-Lavalin spokesperson Gillian MacCormack, adding that the company was "saddened and a little stunned" by the events.

Ms. MacCormack said SNC-Lavalin has worked in Algeria for more than 30 years and had built a strong relationship with the community. The company employs 2000 people in the country, 800 of whom are dedicated to the water treatment and distribution plant. She said the company has a risk assessment process in place for every project.

A statement released by the company expressed "deepest sympathies to the families of the victims -- and to those who are currently being treated in a local hospital."

State radio said another bombing 15 minutes before the bus attack, had targeted a military commander inside an army barracks. Algeria, with a population of 34 million, is an OPEC member and a major oil and gas supplier to Europe. It is emerging from a more than decade-long conflict with Islamist rebels that has killed about 150,000 people since 1992.

The Rest @ National Post (Canada).

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