Bouteflika orders establishment of new security authority

ALGIERS: Algerian President Abdel Aziz Bouteflika issued a presidential decree to form a new security committee named “Joint Committee of National Security” to include military and civilian sectors and operate under the direct order of the Higher Security Council led by Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal.

The Algerian “Al-Khabar” newspaper quoting high-level sources said the committee convened its first meeting on Sunday after the president signed the decree of its establishment. Sellal chaired the committee meeting that was attended by Deputy Defense Minister Qaed Saleh and a number of ministers.

Under the presidential decree, Bouteflika tasked the new committee with some powers that have been assigned to the Higher Security Council.