The targets were the Prime Minister's office and a police station. It is believed AQ attacked Algeria because of it's recent agreement with Spain to combat terrorism. There were 120 terror suspects arrested in Algeria last week, most of whom were headed for Iraq. You know, that war that has nothing to do with terrorism. But of course, the MSM will propbably bypass this story in favor of the Duke rape case, ANS "news", and the Imus teapot tempest
(CNN) -- An al Qaeda-affiliated group has claimed responsibility for Wednesday's two bomb blasts in Algiers that the state-run news agency Algerie Presse Service said killed at least 24 people and wounded 222.
A spokesman for al Qaeda in the Maghreb (North Africa) made the claim in a telephone call to Arabic news channel Al-Jazeera, the broadcaster said.
An Islamist Web site that has carried statements and videos from al Qaeda and other terrorist organizations posted a claim that described three attacks allegedly carried out by "three martyrdom seekers of the Lions of Islam" -- members of al Qaeda in the Maghreb. CNN could not verify the claims.
The first blast occurred shortly before noon local time (1000 GMT) close to the government offices of Algerian Prime Minister Abdelaziz Belkhadem, killing at least 12 and wounding 118 others, state news agency APS reported.
(JW) The explosion at about 10:45 local time caused windows to rattle at least a half-mile away. Few details were immediately available about the other attack east of the capital.
Algeria's insurgency broke out in 1992, after the army canceled legislative elections that an Islamic party appeared set to win.
Since then, violence related to the insurgency has left an estimated 200,000 dead — civilians, soldiers and Islamic fighters — according to the government. Algeria's military led a crackdown on militants hiding out in the country's brush and mountains, while the government tried to reconcile the nation with several amnesty offers to militants willing to turn in their weapons.
Belkhadem expressed bitterness at insurgents who refused the amnesty offers.
"The Algerian people stretched out a hand to them, and they respond with a terrorist act," he said.
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