The prosecutor’s office in Tlemcen, a city in western Algeria, announced on Sunday the arrest of several individuals, including four Moroccan nationals, accused of being part of a "spy network" just a week before the upcoming presidential election scheduled for September 7th.
The espionage case came to light after the arrest on August 24th of a Moroccan national, identified by the initials "Z.M," who had entered Algeria illegally © Mena Today
The prosecutor’s office in Tlemcen, a city in western Algeria, announced on Sunday the arrest of several individuals, including four Moroccan nationals, accused of being part of a "spy network" just a week before the upcoming presidential election scheduled for September 7th.
According to the statement from the prosecutor’s office, the investigating judge at the Tlemcen court ordered the pre-trial detention of seven individuals, including four Moroccans, following the recent dismantling of an espionage and intelligence network aimed at undermining the security of the state. This announcement was made via Algeria's official news agency, APS.
An investigation has been launched against those identified during the probe under criminal charges of "collusion with a foreign country or its agents" for the "crime of espionage" and "illegal entry into the country" for three of the Moroccan nationals, according to the prosecutor.
The prosecutor’s office also stated that the network had recruited both Moroccan and Algerian citizens to target Algerian security and administrative institutions.
Algeria will hold its presidential election next Saturday, where incumbent President Abdelmadjid Tebboune is considered the favorite, running against Islamist candidate Abdelaali Hassani and socialist candidate Youssef Aouchiche.
The espionage case came to light after the arrest on August 24th of a Moroccan national, identified by the initials "Z.M," who had entered Algeria illegally.
The investigation revealed his involvement in an espionage network on behalf of a foreign party, along with other Moroccan and Algerian nationals. Following his arrest, six more people — three Algerians and three Moroccans — were detained on August 28th.
These arrests occur against a backdrop of strained diplomatic relations between Algeria and Morocco.
In August 2021, Algeria severed diplomatic ties with Morocco, citing a series of "hostile acts" by its neighbor, particularly regarding the disputed Western Sahara territory, Morocco's normalization of relations with Israel, and alleged support for the Kabylie Independence Movement (MAK), which Algeria has classified as a terrorist organization. Morocco deemed Algeria's decision "completely unjustified," rejecting the neighboring country's accusations.
The Algerian regime is characterized by acute paranoia.
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Algeria's constitutional court confirmed on Saturday that President Abdelmadjid Tebboune had won a second term with 84.30% of the vote in an election on Sept. 7, state media reported.
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