Algeria: big loser in security services war, National Police chief sacked
In our article of 5 January, on the subject of "President Tebboune's incredible reaction to the incredible journey of a migrant in the landing gear of a plane", we concluded that the investigation launched by the Directorate General of Internal Security (DGSI) into this affair and the arrest of 17 people, including about fifteen policemen, was nothing more than a "trick" aimed at the DGSN, Farid Zinedine Bencheikh. This was confirmed three days later, when Bencheikh was dismissed.
The decision to dismiss him was taken on Friday night by the Army General Staff. It was to be expected. The now ex-chief of police wanted to cross swords with the army's security services by handing over to the President of the Republic a heavy and seriously compromising dossier against certain powerful members of the secret services, in particular the General Directorate of Documentation and External Security (DGDSE), General Djebbar Mehenna and some of his collaborators, including his chief of staff, Colonel Zerguine Souaï, alias Mouâd, and the director of Research and Analysis (the department in charge of hunting down opponents abroad), General Hamid Oubelaïd, alias Hocine Boulahya.
The involvement of Commander Chafik Chengriha
But the most serious aspect of this affair is the involvement of Major Chafik Chengriha, son of the Paris-based army chief of staff. Other people, including businessmen, are listed in the dossier, which was discovered on the smartphone of one of the DGDSE's media contacts, known by his real name, Saïd Bensdira, as the "London rat". It was Bensdira's smartphone that triggered the whole affair.
After being beaten in May by individuals commissioned by a blackmailed businessman to correct him, "the London rat" had his smartphone stolen. A mine of information about the activities of his supporters, led by DGDSE officials, who were planning Tebboune's exit in their own way.
A few days later, the smartphone landed on the desk of Farid Bencheikh, director general of National Security.
Believing he was doing the right thing to serve the President of the Republic by revealing to him all the plans hatched against him by the DGDSE, the police chief realised, to his misfortune, that the President had no power and handed over all the information that fell into his hands to the strongman of the moment, none other than General Saïd Chengriha. Chengriha realised that his son was involved in supplying military information to the "London Rat" and was also supporting him financially, and decided to pull the rug out from under him by simply eliminating him. This elimination is likely to have adverse repercussions, including a very likely imprisonment in a military prison on the ready-made charge of "conspiring against the army".
Real name Saïd Bensdira, "the rat of London" specialised in attacks against all targets indicated by his sponsors, in particular opposition figures and high-ranking officials of the Kingdom of Morocco. He also specialised in blackmail and extortion of businessmen about whom he had information provided by his sponsors.
One day in May, "the London rat", who wanted to "correct" a businessman who refused to give in to his blackmail, was accompanied by one of the DGDSE's henchmen, Mohammed Aït-Iflis, alias Djahid, alias Carlos.
