Freed Algerian makes plea for Zaoui from Malaysia

By CATHERINE MASTERS

One of Ahmed Zaoui's senior political colleagues has been allowed to leave Algeria and yesterday made an impassioned plea from Malaysia for Mr Zaoui's release from Paremoremo Prison.

Dr Abassi Madani, 72, is the co-founder and the head of Mr Zaoui's party, the FIS (Islamic Front for Salvation).

He was arrested and detained when the FIS was overthrown in a military coup after the party won the country's first democratic elections in the early 1990s, but was set free last month after 12 years in jail, half of them under house arrest.

His health deteriorated during his imprisonment and he has left his home country to seek medical treatment.

Algeria has gone through a bloody civil war since the coup and although Dr Madani told the Herald he was cautiously optimistic the military regime may be relaxing its grip on power, he also said Mr Zaoui would still be in grave danger if sent back there.

The regime had particularly targeted Mr Zaoui with false allegations of terrorism because of his popularity with the people. He won his electorate with an overwhelming victory in free elections, came from a well-known family and was highly respected by the masses.

Even if the situation improved in Algeria, some within the regime would likely abuse him or kill him on his return, said Dr Madani.

"For him to be targeted in New Zealand, to be put in prison, have his freedom taken, is not acceptable. I would like to take the opportunity of being here to work towards correcting the mistake New Zealand has made in putting an innocent man behind bars," he said through an interpreter.

"New Zealand has always been looked at as a country of freedom and democracy. With Mr Zaoui's case it has gone from a country of freedom to a country that has deprived an innocent man of freedom."

And he warned that if Mr Zaoui was sent back to Algeria and anything "bad" happened to him he would investigate taking legal action against the Government.

Mr Zaoui has been declared a refugee in New Zealand and cleared of terrorism links, but remains in prison pending the outcome of a review of a Security Risk Certificate issued against him on the basis of secret information held by the Security Intelligence Service.