A FRENCH Catholic bishop was killed when a bomb exploded at his Algerian residence only hours after he met the French Foreign Minister, Mr Herve de Charette, in Algiers, French and Algerian authorities said yesterday.
Both nations condemned the killing of Bishop Pierre Claverie of Oran. Paris vowed it would not be deterred from seeking closer ties with the military dominated Algerian government.
Dr Claverie (58) was killed on Thursday at about 10 p.m. (7 p.m. Irish time) on his return from Oran airport. His driver also died in the blast in Oran, a coastal city some 500 kms west of Algiers.
"The French government will not allow itself to be blown off course. France wants calm and cordial relations with Algeria," Mr de Charette said in a statement yesterday.
The bishop's death nonetheless appeared certain to set back French efforts to improve relations with its former North African colony after a period of strain.
Mr de Charette flew home on Thursday night after laying a wreath at the Algerian monastery where seven French Trappist monks were buried after being kidnapped and beheaded by IsIamic guerrillas earlier this year.
Michael Jansen adds:
The assassination of the bishop came as a particular shock as Oran has been a relative haven of peace and stability throughout the 31/2 years of the insurrection.
This killing of a prominent Frenchman follows the murder in early June of seven French monks residing at Medea, a stronghold of the militant Armed Islamic Group (GIA) which is suspected of the bomb attack on the bishop.
The GIA took up arms after the 1991 parliamentary election was cancelled when the more moderate Islamist movement, the Islamic Salvation Front (FIS) secured a majority of seats.
The FIS promptly condemned yesterday's assassination, saying it was "immoral" and "did not serve the interests of the Algerian people". But the FIS and its military wing, the Islamic Salvation Army, have no control over the radical extremists of the GIA, with which the FIS formally broke relations in 1994.
The leader of the GIA faction held responsible for the deaths of the Trappists, Mr Djamal Zitoun, was reportedly killed last week in inter factional fighting yesterday's incident could intensify this conflict.
The close relationship between Algeria and its former colonial rulers is anathema to the poorly educated, unemployed extremists of the GIA who seek to "Arabise" the Algerian people and convert the country into a fundamentalist Islamic state. The spiritual mentor of the GIA, the charismatic schoolteacher, Shaikh Ali Belhaj, laid down the line for his followers when he said in 1991, "In every Algerian there is a Frenchman hiding. Our task is to bring out that Frenchman and kill him."
However, the GIA has alienated the majority of Algerians by burning down schools and universities, murdering artists, musicians and sportsmen, bombing popular cafes, cutting the throats of schoolgirls who refuse to wear Islamic head scarves and beheading women daring to wear bikinis on Algerian beaches.
Algerians responded by voting massively in last November's election which gave the President. Gen Liamine Zeroual, a new five year term in office.