Algeria increases security following threat from Al-Qaeda

Algerian security services yesterday enhanced security measures across the country after receiving threats from Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, a security source revealed.

“The Algerian security services took the threat by Al-Qaeda leader in the Islamic Maghreb, Abdelmalek Droukdel, very seriously,” the Anadolu Agency reported the unnamed source as saying.

According to the source, “stringent security measures were put in place, including at oil fields operated by Western companies in the south of Algeria.”

An audiotape attributed to Droukdel was released yesterday; in it Droukdel is heard threatening to avenge the killing of Al-Qaeda leader in the Arabian Peninsula, Nasser Al-Wuhayshi, in an US airstrike in Yemen last week.

Al-Wuhayshi is believed to be the second in command in Al-Qaeda, he used to be Osama Bin Laden’s personal secretary.