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Le Pen demands end to French visas and currency transfers for Algerians

July 17, 2018 at 10:00 am

Marine Le Pen, the leader of France’s far-right Front National (FN) party delivers a speech during a campaign meeting in Paris, France on 17 April 2017 [Mustafa Yalçın/Anadolu Agency]

The leader of the extreme right-ring National Rally party in France, Marine Le Pen, has called on the authorities to take punitive measures against Algeria due to its refusal to repatriate convicted terrorist Jamal Beghal. She insisted that France must stop granting visas to Algerians and limit migrants’ currency transfers as a response to the Algerian position.

Le Pen made her comments in an interview with CNEWS channel on Saturday. “This is a disturbing matter as it reflects the extent of French influence and the loss of French power and credibility at the international level,” she said. There are, she insisted, many “vengeance measures” that can be taken against countries like Algeria which refuse to take back its citizens convicted of offences abroad. “We can tell them [the Algerian government], if you do not wish to reclaim your nationals, we will stop the visa process for you.”

She told CNEWS that such measures will force Algeria to respect international law. “This is a case related to such respect.”

READ: French colonialism was good for Algeria, says Le Pen

Algeria has refused to accept the repatriation of Beghal, who was convicted in 2005 of having ties with a terrorist group. He is also accused of being the spiritual father of the Kouachi brothers and Amedy Coulibaly who were involved in the Charlie Hebdo shootings.

The latest reports on Beghal’s case, however, suggest that the French authorities will soon hand him over to Algeria. There has been no official comment from the Algerians on this issue, which has caused great controversy, especially in France.