Salem Chaker, professor at the National Institute of Languages and Eastern Civilizations, (Inalco), received threatening letters via the Internet last week, reports said.
Salem Chaker had planned to stay in Algeria for a conference on "The Linguistic Development of Tamazight" at the University of Bejaia, said the Panafrican News Agency (PANA).
The e-mail in question was signed by one Djihad Mesbahi on behalf of the Armed Islamist Groups, GIA ("djihad" is the Algerian transliteration of jihad, often interpreted by the media and misguided Muslims themselves to mean "holy war," the agency said, adding that the word literally means "to struggle," and is used spiritually to refer to the inner struggle against one's own weaknesses.)
The press release, made public last week by the Berber Research Center of Inalco, said that the first threatening letter addressed to Salem Chaker was received Wednesday, March 21st, 2001 by the National Institute where Professor Chaker is employed.
Inalco's board immediately addressed a message to the senior official of the defense of National Education.
Fifteen days after the initial threat, a second letter arrived for Professor Chaker, signed with the same pseudonym.
On Wednesday, April 4, Salem Chaker personally received another message by e-mail welcoming him to Algeria and threatening him directly with death, accusing him of being a franco-berberist, said PANA – Albawaba.com
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
