An Egyptian citizen has been arrested in Algeria for allegedly recruiting fighters from North Africa for the Islamic State groups in Syria and Iraq.
The Algerian El Khabar newspaper reported on Saturday that the Egyptian citizen was described as a ‘mastermind in terrorist recruiting cells’. He was arrested in the northern city of Constantine for suspected ties with the Nusra Front in Syria and has allegedly dealt with Jihadi groups from Libya and Tunisia to facilitate the joining of the Islamic State and Nusra Front groups for new recruits.
The newspaper added that the suspect offered information that has helped to disband dozens of cells, including in Tunisia. Security services have subsequently launched arrest campaigns on what is believed to be Al-Qaeda sleeper cells.
According to an Algerian security source, Tunisian security services obtained information from a person arrested in Algeria over those affiliated to Al-Qaeda in Tunisia who facilitated the Jihadis' move into Syria.
The source added that security services in Tunisia, Mauritania and Algeria are still searching for five more people whose names were mentioned by one of those arrested.
