Djamel Lounici sentenced to 5 years in prison

The Algerian Djamel Lounici, who made opposition to a 1997 conviction for conspiring to set terrorist network, saw the Paris Correctional Court Tuesday to impose the same penalty of 5 years in prison and 10-year ban from French territory.

•     Djamel Lounici is considered by European police forces as a terrorist leader in Europe, responsible for the delivery of arms to the Algerian groups from 1992 to 1995.
  
      On 9 January 1997, the same court in Paris had sentenced Djamel Lounici, and some twenty other defendants, for setting up a terrorist network, responsible in particular for the attack in Marrakesh on 24 August 1994 which left two people dead.
  
      This sentence was imposed in the absence of Djamel Lounici, who was detained then in Italy. He had objected to this decision, possible remedies available to the accused in the case of a ruling by default.
  
      Currently in Algeria, Lounici, 47, was still not present at the hearing Tuesday. The court examined his case in his absence, before deliberating.
  
      Born in Algiers in 1962, early Islamist militant, Djamel Lounici joined in 1992 the ‘Faithful of the oath’; the first armed groups emerged after the cancellation of the legislative elections in Algeria.
  
      Very close to Rabah Kebir, leader of the Islamic Salvation Front (FIS), he then left to Morocco, where he mounted the rear bases for the trafficking of arms, and then traveled between Belgium, Germany and Switzerland. For investigators, he then organized almost all lines of supply of arms to Algeria.
  
      Germany refused to grant him political asylum, he moved to Italy in 1994 where he married the daughter of the Spokesman of the FIS in Italy, Othman Deramchi, and obtained a residence permit.
  
      First arrested in 1994 and 1995, the logistics coordinator of the Armed Islamic Group (GIA) was sentenced to eight years in prison in Italy.
  
      
  Ennaharonline/ M. O.