Bouteflika Refuses To Allow Gaddafi Entry Into Algerian Territory
An Algerian newspaper on Thursday reported that Muammar Gaddafi was present in the city of Gaddams located on the Libyan border with Algeria. Algeria officially declared the sheltering of the leader’s wife Safiya, his daughter Aisha and his sons, Mohammed and Hannibal and their children on Monday morning.
The Algerian al Watan newspaper quoted on Thursday sources close to the Algerian presidency as saying that ousted Libyan leader Gaddafi was near the border, accompanied by some members of his family. The report added the fugitive leader tried to get access to the Algerian territory by speaking over the phone with President Abdelaziz Bouteflika.
The sources said that Bouteflika refused to answer the call by Gaddafi. An adviser to Bouteflika apologized to Gaddafi and told him that the president “is busy” with several events taking place in the country, referring to the double suicide attack which targeted a military academy.
The sources noted that it is not the first time Gaddafi had tried to contact Bouteflika for possible negotiations. Also they confirmed that the entry of some members of the Gaddafi family to Algeria came following an approval and guarantees from some members of the National Transitional Council of Libya.
The al Watan newspaper conveyed the Algerian authorities do not rule out that Gaddafi will try to establish alliance with al-Qaeda in order to destabilize the region.
