The Algerians were uncovered following a telephone call from
their leader Belacem Bensayah, also called Merdz, who made telephone calls
from his number in Zenica, 032 420 737, on several occasions to Abu
Zubejdah, one of Usamah Bin-Ladin’s closest associates. As we know, the call
was intercepted by the Americans, who, very soon afterward, uncovered the
other members of the “Algerian Group,” as well as their intentions.
This issue had also been discussed earlier by the coordination team for
combating terrorism in B-H, which was formed after the terrorist attacks on
New York and Washington on 11 September 2001. This committee recommended to
the relevant Federation bodies to revoke the B-H citizenships of all the
members of the “Algerian Group,” which was done, so the following people
were stripped of B-H citizenship, based on the decision of the Federation
Interior Ministry: Hadj Boudell, Saber Lahmar, Lakhdar Boumedien, and
Mohamed Nechl. The remaining two members, Mustafa Ait Idir and Belacem
Bensayah, did not have B-H citizenship. At least not under these names.