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| Algeria crisis: names of the three American dead released | Algeria crisis: names of the three American dead released |
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| The names of the three Americans killed during a four-day siege at an Algerian gas plant were released by US authorities on Monday, as it was claimed that a Canadian had been involved in the planning the raid. | The names of the three Americans killed during a four-day siege at an Algerian gas plant were released by US authorities on Monday, as it was claimed that a Canadian had been involved in the planning the raid. |
| In a statement, the State Department confirmed that Victor Lynn Lovelady, Gordon Lee Rowan and Frederick Buttaccio were among the scores of international employees killed in the attack, responsibility for which has been claimed by al-Qaida linked terrorists. | In a statement, the State Department confirmed that Victor Lynn Lovelady, Gordon Lee Rowan and Frederick Buttaccio were among the scores of international employees killed in the attack, responsibility for which has been claimed by al-Qaida linked terrorists. |
| Expressing "deepest condolences" to the families of the three American victims, State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said that officials were aware of a further seven US citizens who survived the attack. | Expressing "deepest condolences" to the families of the three American victims, State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said that officials were aware of a further seven US citizens who survived the attack. |
| The total number of hostages known to have been killed now stands at 48, with British, Americans, French, Japanese, Norwegian and Romanian workers among the dead. Dozens of militants also died during fighting with special forces tasked with bringing the hostage crisis to an end. | The total number of hostages known to have been killed now stands at 48, with British, Americans, French, Japanese, Norwegian and Romanian workers among the dead. Dozens of militants also died during fighting with special forces tasked with bringing the hostage crisis to an end. |
| The Algerian government claimed the raid had been co-ordinated by a Canadian-Algerian jihadist and relied on extensive inside knowledge of the facility. | The Algerian government claimed the raid had been co-ordinated by a Canadian-Algerian jihadist and relied on extensive inside knowledge of the facility. |
| The deadly stand-off began last Wednesday when militants seized the facility at the In Amenas gas field in the Sahara. | The deadly stand-off began last Wednesday when militants seized the facility at the In Amenas gas field in the Sahara. |
| It ended on Saturday, when Algerian forces mounted a final assault against the captors. | It ended on Saturday, when Algerian forces mounted a final assault against the captors. |
| By that time, five Americans had already been taken out of the complex and led to safety. The remaining two US hostages survived Saturday's fighting and were flown to London. | By that time, five Americans had already been taken out of the complex and led to safety. The remaining two US hostages survived Saturday's fighting and were flown to London. |
| Officials had already confirmed that Buttaccio, from Texas, was among the dead at the site. | Officials had already confirmed that Buttaccio, from Texas, was among the dead at the site. |
| Militants had offered to release Lovelady and Rowan in exchange for the freedom of two terror suspects being kept in the United States: Omar Abdel Rahman, convicted of plotting to blow up New York landmarks, and Aafia Siddiqui, a Pakistani scientist apprehended after shooting at two US soldiers in Afghanistan. The White House rejected the offer. | Militants had offered to release Lovelady and Rowan in exchange for the freedom of two terror suspects being kept in the United States: Omar Abdel Rahman, convicted of plotting to blow up New York landmarks, and Aafia Siddiqui, a Pakistani scientist apprehended after shooting at two US soldiers in Afghanistan. The White House rejected the offer. |
| In the statement released Monday, the State Department reiterated the administration's belief that the terrorist assailants alone were responsible for the deaths. "As the President said, the blame for this tragedy rests with the terrorists who carried it out, and the United States condemns their actions in the strongest possible terms," Nuland said. | In the statement released Monday, the State Department reiterated the administration's belief that the terrorist assailants alone were responsible for the deaths. "As the President said, the blame for this tragedy rests with the terrorists who carried it out, and the United States condemns their actions in the strongest possible terms," Nuland said. |
| "We will continue to work closely with the government of Algeria to gain a fuller understanding of the terrorist attack of last week and how we can work together moving forward to combat such threats in the future," she said. | "We will continue to work closely with the government of Algeria to gain a fuller understanding of the terrorist attack of last week and how we can work together moving forward to combat such threats in the future," she said. |
| No details were released concerning the circumstances in which the three Americans were killed. | No details were released concerning the circumstances in which the three Americans were killed. |
| Four of the British victims have been named: a former member of the British speed skiing team, Carson Bilsland, 46, an oil worker originally from near Blairgowrie, Perthshire; Paul Morgan, 46, a security expert; Garry Barlow, 49, a systems supervisor from Liverpool; and planning manager Kenneth Whiteside, 59, from Glenrothes, Fife. Carlos Estrada, a Colombian BP executive who lived in London, is also believed to be among the dead. | Four of the British victims have been named: a former member of the British speed skiing team, Carson Bilsland, 46, an oil worker originally from near Blairgowrie, Perthshire; Paul Morgan, 46, a security expert; Garry Barlow, 49, a systems supervisor from Liverpool; and planning manager Kenneth Whiteside, 59, from Glenrothes, Fife. Carlos Estrada, a Colombian BP executive who lived in London, is also believed to be among the dead. |
| The Algerian prime minister, Abdelmalek Sellal, said on Monday that the final decision by the country's special forces to storm the site on Saturday was triggered by an intercepted order to execute the remaining seven hostages and by the jihadists' plans to blow up the desert gas pumping plant which, Sellal said, could have spread debris across a 5km radius. | The Algerian prime minister, Abdelmalek Sellal, said on Monday that the final decision by the country's special forces to storm the site on Saturday was triggered by an intercepted order to execute the remaining seven hostages and by the jihadists' plans to blow up the desert gas pumping plant which, Sellal said, could have spread debris across a 5km radius. |
| Sellal said 29 jihadists from the al-Qaida splinter group Signers in Blood had been killed and three had been captured alive. | Sellal said 29 jihadists from the al-Qaida splinter group Signers in Blood had been killed and three had been captured alive. |
| He said the attack was orchestrated by a Canadian national known only as Chedad, who he said was now in Mauritania. Surviving hostages also talked of a militant at the scene with a north American accent calling on foreign contractors to come out of hiding. | He said the attack was orchestrated by a Canadian national known only as Chedad, who he said was now in Mauritania. Surviving hostages also talked of a militant at the scene with a north American accent calling on foreign contractors to come out of hiding. |
| John Baird, the Canadian foreign minister, said: "We can't confirm the accuracy of these reports. But our embassy in Algiers and our team in Ottawa are working to try to verify this information." | John Baird, the Canadian foreign minister, said: "We can't confirm the accuracy of these reports. But our embassy in Algiers and our team in Ottawa are working to try to verify this information." |
| Sellal said the militant cell included men from Egypt, Mali, Niger, Mauritania and Tunisia, as well as three Algerians, and he claimed the plot had been hatched at least two months previously. | Sellal said the militant cell included men from Egypt, Mali, Niger, Mauritania and Tunisia, as well as three Algerians, and he claimed the plot had been hatched at least two months previously. |
| The attackers had driven hundreds of miles from Mali arriving across the Libyan border. | The attackers had driven hundreds of miles from Mali arriving across the Libyan border. |
| The jihadist operation "knew the facility's layout by heart" from a former driver from the plant from Niger, Sellal said. | The jihadist operation "knew the facility's layout by heart" from a former driver from the plant from Niger, Sellal said. |
| Sellal said the Signers in Blood group – followers of a veteran Algerian jihadist called Mokhtar Belmokhtar – had planned to blow up the In Amenas gas field and take hostages back to Mali to use as bargaining chips. | Sellal said the Signers in Blood group – followers of a veteran Algerian jihadist called Mokhtar Belmokhtar – had planned to blow up the In Amenas gas field and take hostages back to Mali to use as bargaining chips. |
| "Their goal was to kidnap foreigners," he said. "They wanted to flee to Mali with the foreigners but, once they were surrounded, they started killing the first hostages." | "Their goal was to kidnap foreigners," he said. "They wanted to flee to Mali with the foreigners but, once they were surrounded, they started killing the first hostages." |
| He said a guard at the gate of the complex who was wounded in the initial attack had set off an alarm that stopped the flow of gas and warned workers of an imminent attack. "It was thanks to him that the factory was protected," Sellal said. | He said a guard at the gate of the complex who was wounded in the initial attack had set off an alarm that stopped the flow of gas and warned workers of an imminent attack. "It was thanks to him that the factory was protected," Sellal said. |
| He said Algerian special forces had no choice but to intervene because the jihadists were going to flee the country with their captives and because they planned to kill the hostages and blow up the installation. | He said Algerian special forces had no choice but to intervene because the jihadists were going to flee the country with their captives and because they planned to kill the hostages and blow up the installation. |
| He said talks with the militant group had been "a real labyrinth" in which the hostage-takers made "unreasonable" demands. There was no choice for Algerian forces but to attack, he said. | He said talks with the militant group had been "a real labyrinth" in which the hostage-takers made "unreasonable" demands. There was no choice for Algerian forces but to attack, he said. |
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