Algeria’s Baseless Accusations Against Morocco: A Comprehensive Analysis
Algeria’s accusations against Morocco, aimed at undermining national security, are escalating. Algeria accuses Morocco of causing forest fires, flooding the country with drugs, bringing Israel into the region, and even supporting separatist movements within Algeria. Recently, these accusations have intensified with claims of espionage and intelligence aimed at compromising state security.
On Sunday, Algerian authorities announced the dismantling of a “spy and intelligence” network they claim was intended to “harm state security.” The network, consisting of seven people, including four Moroccan nationals, was reportedly operating in the Tlemcen region after entering Algeria illegally.
The Alleged Spy Network: What Do We Know About the Accused and the Evidence Presented by Algerian Authorities? pic.twitter.com/gm4zhkPSbV
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Details about the arrested individuals, including the four Moroccans according to Algerian authorities, have not been fully disclosed. Prosecutor Mustapha Loubars from the Tlemcen court stated that the seven individuals were placed in pre-trial detention by a judge, awaiting trial on serious charges, just one week before the presidential elections scheduled for September 7.
The prosecutor also noted that the detained individuals face judicial investigation for charges such as “espionage with a foreign state or its agents” and “illegal entry into Algerian territory” for three of the four Moroccans, who are alleged to have attempted to disrupt national security and destabilize the country.
On August 24, the prosecutor held a press conference in Tlemcen revealing that, as part of efforts to combat illegal immigration, security services had been alerted to suspicious movements by a Moroccan national in central Tlemcen. It was discovered that this individual was part of a spy and intelligence network working for a foreign entity.
On August 28, Algerian authorities reported the arrest of six additional individuals, three Moroccans and three Algerians. Investigations revealed that all members of the network were receiving instructions from a person named “B.S.,” a Moroccan national, and that the network was recruiting Moroccan and Algerian citizens to target Algerian security and administrative institutions.
Shortly after this announcement, the Algerian presidency issued a statement indicating that President Abdelmadjid Tebboune had chaired a meeting of the National Security Council, without providing details, just days before the presidential elections. Tebboune, a leading candidate for re-election, has relied on the theory of external conspiracy, asserting that many countries fear Algeria’s stability.
Amnesty International has accused the Algerian government of suppressing freedom of expression and peaceful assembly over the past five years, targeting dissenting voices. Amnesty claims that the government uses baseless terrorism charges to suppress those expressing critical views.
Algerian political activist Shouki Ben Zehra commented that these espionage accusations are a diversionary tactic to shift attention from internal issues such as voter apathy and economic crises. He accuses the regime of consistently targeting Morocco to cover up its own failures.
