ALBAWABA- Algeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has summoned the French Ambassador, Stéphane Romatet, following accusations of French intelligence involvement in a plot to destabilize Algeria, as reported by the newspaper El Moudjahid.
According to reliable diplomatic sources, the summons came after confirmed evidence of French intelligence directly orchestrating activities to undermine Algeria's sovereignty.
Algeria has firmly rejected what it called “repeated provocations” by France, warning that such actions will not go unanswered.
Algerian security services recently thwarted a conspiracy involving French intelligence. The plot included the recruitment of a 35-year-old Algerian man, Mohamed Amine Issaoui, who had previously been lured into joining ISIS through social media, leading to his involvement in conflicts in Syria and Iraq.
Issaoui was later deported to Algeria, where he served a three-year prison sentence, completed in 2019. After his release, Issaoui became the target of recruitment by French intelligence.
In April 2023, under the guise of a meeting organized by the “Artemis Association,” Issaoui was approached by an official from the French Directorate-General for External Security (DGSE), posing as the First Secretary at the French Embassy in Algiers.
Surveillance footage revealed the official meeting Issaoui and taking him to the French Cultural Center for extended discussions.
During these meetings, the French agent allegedly instructed Issaoui to infiltrate extremist groups in Algiers, gather intelligence on police patrols and surveillance systems, and ultimately carry out operations in Niger.
Issaoui, however, stayed in contact with Algerian security forces, providing them with detailed information about the plot. This cooperation enabled Algerian authorities to expose the scheme, dismantle the network, and reveal what they described as a “malicious plan” by French intelligence.
