Word: belhadj
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...conclave of generals who secretly make all key decisions in Algeria brought Zeroual back as Minister of Defense in July 1993, then promoted him to the presidency six months later. He has twice initiated talks with imprisoned F.I.S. leaders Abassi Madani and Ali Belhadj, and twice blamed them for the failure of these negotiations. His unsettling fluctuation between policies of "eradicating" the fundamentalists and seeking "conciliation" with them reflects the wavering debate between hawks and doves within Algeria's armed forces...
...Algerian police ringed the airport, Interior Minister Abderahmane Meziane-Cherif rushed to the control tower and began negotiating with the hijackers via the cockpit radio. Using the pilot, Bernard Delhemme, to speak for them, the terrorists demanded the release from house arrest of Abassi Madani and Ali Belhadj, the leaders of the Islamic Salvation Front (F.I.S.), the political party that was banned by the Algerian government in 1992. "Start by freeing the women, the elderly and the children if you want us to start talking," replied Cherif. About four hours into the negotiations, the hijackers began releasing passengers...