Boualem Bensaïd is the coordinator of several attacks which took place in France in 1995. As long as Algeria does not deliver to leave, he will remain in prison in France.
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Algerian Boualem Bensaïd, one of the authors of the 1995 attacks in France, is likely to be released on Friday August 1, but he is still waiting for a consular pass from Algeria, according to information from Franceinfo.
Boualem Bensaïd is the coordinator and one of the fireworks of the wave of attacks which affected France in 1995, notably in the Parisian RER, a series of attacks attributed to the Armed Islamic group (GIA) Algerian which had been a total of 10 dead and 190 injured.
Sentenced to life imprisonment, his lawyers had made several requests for release that have never succeeded. But the Paris Court of Appeal gave its green light three weeks ago to a new request for liberation, subject to expulsion to Algeria in the wake of its release, with a ban on returning to France. The terrorist gave wages, explaining that he had a promise to hire in Algiers.
But relations between Paris and Algiers block this return. Boualem Bensaïd is incarcerated in a prison in Haut-Rhin. The prefecture made a request to the Algerian consulate for a consular pass, but did not get any response. And as long as Algeria will not say yes, Boualem Bensaïd remains in prison in France.
Boualem Bensaïd had been sentenced in 2002, then on appeal in 2003, to life with a 22-year-old security period for the 1995 series of attacks. He was found guilty of having exploded in the RER B in Paris, Saint-Michel station, in the center of Paris, and near the house metro in the 13th arrondissement, as well as having participated in the preparation of from RER C to the Musée d’Orsay. At the time, Boualem Bensaid was 27 years old. Today he has 57. He spent thirty years behind bars.
Two other people are also detained in France in this series of attacks: Smain Ait Ali Belkacem, the bombs installer, was sentenced twice for escape projects, and Rachid Ramda, considered the financier, long detained in London before being given to France.