Algeria fears return to "nightmare" of 1990s war

This is happening everywhere Islamic terrorists find a way to carry out their murderous plans and seventh century barbarism.

By William Maclean2 hours, 54 minutes ago, YahooNews (Excerpt)

"Algerians angered by the worst bombings in years in the big oil-exporting country voiced fears on Thursday of a possible return to the bloody political conflict of the 1990s.

"The Algiers attacks have woken the demons of a violence we believed had been contained," wrote Liberte daily.

Police threw up extra checkpoints and deployed extra patrols around the Mediterranean port city after Wednesday's suicide attacks which killed 33 people and wounded more than 200.

"We thought the days of terror were over. I am still shocked. I am afraid," Mohamed Rabhi, a young student having a coffee in Didouche Mourad Avenue in downtown Algiers.

"Fear has returned," said a 60-year-old man. "I've asked my youngest brother to pay attention when using public transport. You never know."

Some placed indirect blame for Wednesday's carnage on the government, saying it had been too soft on Islamist rebels under what they say is a flawed policy of national reconciliation.

"The terrorists should be put up against a wall and shot. Enough of the hand of peace," said Mohammed, a car mechanic in the city's upscale Hydra district.

Official comment on the attacks has been sparse.

The government newspaper El Moudjahed wrote: "Terrorism has hit again, but its aftershocks are destined to fail because the Algerian people will always refuse to be beaten and to accept these criminals' demands."

But many expressed fear the blasts would reignite the violence of the 1990s, when tens of thousands of Islamist insurgents fought security forces around a country the size of western Europe.

"Terrorism doesn't frighten Algerians. What they fear is the resignation, the weaknesses and the comprises made by those who have the task of rescuing Algeria from its crisis," wrote Omar Belhouchet, editor of El Watan daily.

The Al Qaeda Organisation in the Islamic Maghreb claimed responsibility for the bombing. The claim could not immediately be verified but the group, formerly known as the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC), has taken responsibility for a number of deadly attacks on security forces and foreigners in Algeria since January."