The Algerian Ambassador to Britain and Ireland has rejected a claim that he has invited a delegation of TDs to Algeria "in order to ascertain the true extent and cause of recent atrocities".
Mr Ahmed Benyamina told The Irish Times yesterday that a group of TDs would be welcome to his country, but "anything suggesting any investigation would be clearly ruled out."
Mr Benyamina was responding to a statement on Monday by the chairman of the Oireachtas subcommittee on Human Rights, Mr Gay Mitchell, that he (the ambassador) had invited a delegation in order for them to ascertain the true extent and cause of the recent atrocities. Mr Mitchell and Mr Benyamina met in London on Monday.
"That's not what I told him," Mr Benyamina said yesterday. "I said there was a need for interaction between our two parliaments and that an Irish delegation would be welcome if they came without any preconditions." Such a delegation could meet members of the opposition and leaders of civilian society, he said.
"But we would resist anything aimed at casting a doubt on who are the perpetrators of the massacres. We know who the killers are and we don't want any doubt to be cast on that. They actually claim responsibility in EU capitals for the killings. Go outside any mosque in London and you will find leaflets claiming them in the name of the GIA [an extreme Islamist group]. They are making no mystery about it."
Mr Mitchell said yesterday that he accepted that the ambassador was opposed to any outside investigation. "I'm not saying we are going to investigate, but to ascertain the truth through talking to the opposition, the press, NGOs and others."
Mr Benyamina said that if the EU was serious about helping Algeria "it must go beyond condemnation of terrorism. They must assist Algeria in dismantling the terrorist network established in European capitals. The funds, arms and propaganda all come from Europe."
He also rejected the call by the sub-committee for an independent investigation and an international war crimes tribunal to be set up. "An investigation would be a reward for terrorists. Every call for interference is followed by a massacre, and every massacre is followed by a call for interference."
AFP adds from Brussels: A nine-member delegation from the European Parliament is to visit Algeria from February 8th-12th, a parliament spokesman said yesterday.
Algiers has approved the visit, which was originally mooted in November when the Algerian Foreign Minister, Mr Ahmed Attaf, met MEPs in Brussels.