Second Canadian linked to Algeria attack

A second Canadian has been found among the bodies of suspected terrorists involved in a deadly hostage-taking at an Algerian natural gas plant in January.

“This evening, the RCMP is confirming a second Canadian has been identified from human remains of alleged terrorists in the attack at the gas plant,” RCMP spokesperson Greg Cox said Saturday night. He offered no other details. This is the second Canadian found among the carnage. Earlier this month, the RCMP located “Canadi- an human remains” among the dead. They initially would not confirm whether the remains belonged to a hostage or one of the Al Qaedalinked attackers. However, a security source told the Star that RCMP forensic tests had identified the first body as that of a suspected terrorist — confirming earlier reports from Algeria’s prime minister that a Canadian was one of the leaders behind the highly planned hostage-taking. The attacks, which began Jan. 16, ended in the deaths of foreign hostages from eight countries, including France, Japan, the United States and the United Kingdom. In total, 37 hostages and 29 attackers were killed in the final battle between the militants and Algerian forces. Almost all of the hostages were foreign, the Associated Press reported at the time. The terrorists claimed the attack was an act of revenge for the French military campaign to oust Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb in neigh- bouring Mali.

RCMP officers were later dispatched to the remote natural gas plant where they have been working alongside local authorities to help identify the remains of the deceased.

Some reports say that a bearded, blonde Canadian who spoke perfect English was in negotiations over the phone during the hostage-taking.