Algeria president warns of destabilisation plot

Fictitious disputes fomented between the structures of the People's National Army (ANP) are part of a well-developed destabilization process, said Tuesday in President Abdelaziz Bouteflika. "The conflicts fomented between the structures of the People's National Army are part of well-developed process of destabilization conducted by those who are disturbed by the weight and role of Algeria in the region," reads a statement of President Bouteflika on the occasion of National Day of Shahid (Martyr), reported by APS news agency. Bouteflika made reference to recent media reports about the existence of deep conflicts between Army Chief of Staff, General Gaid Salah, and Chief of Department of Intelligence and Security ( DRS), General Mohamed Mediene, alias Toufik. The reports said the conflict is motivated by the fact that General Gaid Salah endorses Bouteflika to remain in power through running for a fourth term during April's presidential elections, while General Toufik strongly opposes this option. According to the reports, this difference has had impact inside the army, given that the DRS is a structure of the Ministry of National Defense, of which minister is Bouteflika and his deputy is Gaid Salah. This conflict dropped out when Secretary-General of the ruling National Liberation Front (FLN) charged DRS chief Major General Mohamed Medien of hampering President Bouteflika to run for a fourth term, adding that the DRS' internal security office interferes in the work of justice, media and political parties. "This process can unfortunately be promoted by irresponsible behavior of some people and immaturity of others,under the influence of various aspects of media war targeting Algeria, the Presidency Office, the People's National Army and the Department of Intelligence and Security (DRS)." Bouteflika has warned against "sowing panic and spreading destructive versions that claim the existence of conflicts between the institutions of the republic." He said "in front of these new threats arising from the hatred and rivalry triggered by contrasting visions and sedition urge us as citizens to resort to unfading patriotism in order to riposte to prejudice threatening the stability of the nation." He added that "the statements uttered by these and those ( supporters and opponents of Bouteflika) may fall in the category of freedom of speech enshrined under the Constitution, but when such attitudes claim the existence of conflicts between the institutions of the Republic, it becomes incumbent on all citizens to recognize the risk of hitting the stability implied by such endeavors that are part of a process of mind misleading and malignant exploitation of facts." Bouteflika further concluded that "after their outstanding successes against terrorism, army and intelligence are and will remain target for malicious forces."