32-year-old Djilali Kouri, and 35-year-old Antar Ali, were sentenced to death for “founding and running a terrorist group that killed and spread terror among the population and that murdered hundreds of civilians and soldiers” between 1996 and 2004.
Kouri and Ali admitted to killing members of the security forces in the civil war, but denied molesting and killing civilians.
“Kouri has already been sentenced to death for some of the charges against him, but sought acquittal on the other counts,” said Brahim Behloul, the court-appointed lawyer for both accused.
“Antar Ali asked to be considered under the Civil Concord law,” said Behloul, referring to a law adopted by referendum in 1999 to encourage thousands of Islamists to surrender in exchange for a pardon.
The law offers amnesty to Islamist fighters who do not have blood on their hands.
In their confession, Ali and Kouri told investigators they were part of a group of Islamist fighters in the Chlef region during the civil war, and took part in operations in other areas.
While they admitted in court killing members of the security forces, they denied involvement in the molestation and murder of civilians.
“I admit having participated in the killing of five soldiers and five municipal guards, but I did not massacre civilians and r*pe women,” Kouri told the court.
Ali also said that he had “taken part in ambushes against the military,” but denied playing a role in the massacre of civilians.
“I did not commit massacres, I was fighting the authorities. I’m not a terrorist, I am myself a victim,” he told the court.
The civil war, which broke out after the government annulled an election won by the Islamic Salvation Front, killed around 200,000 people according to official estimates.
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