Algeria: Attackers aimed to move hostages

In Amenas: Militants planned kidnappings of plant workers

Kjetil Alsvik/Statoil

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News Wires

 22 January 2013 21:10 GMT

A multinational group of terrorists that killed at least 38 hostages, including three Americans, at a gas complex in Algeria planned to blow up the site and escape into neighboring Mali with their captives, according to reports of the first official account of the raid.

The actions of the Algerian army prevented the 32-man militant squad, which had "a massive arsenal" and explosives experts, from fleeing with hostages, Abdelmalek Sellal, the country's prime minister, told reporters in Algiers according to Bloomberg.

At least one member of the terrorists was a Canadian national whose job was to contact the media, he said.

The extent of the death toll remains uncertain. Sellal said 37 foreign workers and one Algerian were killed, along with 29 militants, bringing the number of dead to 67.

He said three militants were captured, with five…

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