CAIRO — The U.S. embassy has conducted a security review in wake of
a suspected Al Qaida-aligned attack on Western oil executives in Algeria.
The Salafist Brigade for Combat and Call has claimed responsibility for
the strike. A Salafist statement released on Monday said the attack on
Halliburton was a "present to our Muslim brothers suffering from the new
Crusaders who have targeted Islam and its holy places."
On Dec. 10, a busload of Western executives was attacked by suspected Al
Qaida-aligned insurgents. Two people were killed and nine others were
injured, including an American, in a heavily-guarded suburb of Algiers. The
bus transported employees of a subsidiary of Halliburton, a leading U.S.
security contractor.
The embassy launched the review in an effort to improve security for the
estimated 800 Americans in Algeria. Many of the Americans work in Algeria's
energy sector.
"The embassy will be open for normal business on Monday, Dec. 11, but is
encouraging Americans in Algiers to review their security situation," the
embassy said in a warden notice. "The embassy will limit movements on Dec.
11 to official business only while evaluating the situation. Algeria remains
under a travel warning."
"Stay away from the infidels' interests to avoid any harm that could
befall you from mixing with them at the time they are targeted," the
Salafist statement said in a message to Algerians.
The embassy urged Americans traveling to Algeria to register with the
consular section of the U.S. embassy in Algiers. The State Department
has determined a significant security risk in many areas of Algeria.
Later, an embassy spokesman said the security of the diplomatic facility
would be bolstered. He said the arrangements were being coordinated with
Algerian authorities.
The Dec. 10 attack targeted a bus of Brown Root Condor, a joint venture
of Halliburton subsidiary Kellog, Brown and Root and Condor Engineering, an
affiliate of
Algeria's Sonatrach, the state-owned oil monopoly. The Interior Ministry
said a grenade exploded underneath a security vehicle that was escorting the
bus. At that point, insurgents opened fire.
The United States has sought to significantly increase its presence in
Algeria. Currently, the biggest foreign energy operator in Algeria is
Anadarko Petroleum Corp., an American company.
Algerian security sources said the government has allocated special
forces to protect American executives in Algiers. They said the Salafists
have targeted the Western presence in an attempt to block development of
Algeria's huge energy reserves.
