Following Amar Saadani’s interview on Algerian news outlet TSA-Algerie, during which the “journalists” failed to question the origins of Amar Saadani’s unexplained wealth. Ahmed Gaïd Salah, the army’s chief, requested on Tuesday 26th of March the application of Article 102 of the Constitution, which provides for declaring the president unfit for office as a result of his poor health and lasting illness. In effect, Abdelaziz Bouteflika will be impeached by the Constitutional Council at the order of the army, a move that has already been labeled by opposition figures as a ‘coup d’état’.
More worryingly, some analysts have drawn the parallel with what Egypt experienced when the military took power by force and established a full dictatorship with El-Sisi at its head.
Once again, the general warned Algerians against “la main de l’etranger” (foreign manipulation), a scare tactic regularly used by the regime but long discredited by most Algerians.
Gaid Salah’s intervention is likely to cause more controversy, as when the election was unconstitutionally canceled, its Council failed to act. For many analysts, this demonstrates clearly that the deep state in Algeria is in fact predominantly in the army’s hands.
Amar Saadani’s unexplained wealth
Amar Saadani, who in the past was the chief of the FLN party is not a popular political figure amongst Algerians. His unexplained wealth which includes apartments in posh Parisian areas, and the luxury tastes of his son and daughters have attracted the media’s attention on numerous occasions.
The Algiers Herald has been investigating the wealth of the Saadani family in London.
We are able to confirm that his daughter Selma was hired in strange circumstances by the Algerian Consulate in London. The Consul of Algeria, at the time, told other senior diplomats that she did not have a say in the matter, that she (Selma Saadani) was “imposed on her” by the FLN party.
In another revelation we are able to make today, we have also found out that Adel Saadani “studied” a foundation course (not a full degree) at the private university ‘Regent’s College’. The latter is an institution known to have amongst its alumni and current students, members of the Saudi and Emirati royal families, as well as the sons and daughters of members of the Kremlin and Russian oligarchs. Notable students of Regent’s University include Prince Konstantin of Bavaria, Sultan Muhammad V (former King of Malaysia), members of the founding family of the luxury brand Hermes, the Queen Consort of Buthan, to name a few.
Regent’s University (formerly Regent’s College), charges fees of more than £13,000 per year for undergraduate studies and upwards of £15,000 per year for master degrees.
The Algiers Herald anti-corruption initiative
Our investigative journalists are preparing a lengthy investigation into the Saadani’s family ill-gotten assets which will shed further light on the outrageous spending habits of the offspring of members of the Algerian regime in the U.K, the U.S, and other European countries, with complete impunity. Such as spending upwards of £10,000 per weekend per night at London’s most expensive nightclubs.
The investigation will also shed light on the methods used by foreign students (mainly coming from despotic regimes) to essentially buy their education in the U.K; in some instances paying thousands per month for private tutors who do their coursework for them.
Finally, the final aim of the investigation will seek to establish the financial mechanics used by members of the regime to conceal vast amounts of money in tax havens across the world.
The results of the investigation will enable us to generate a report which will be submitted to the U.K’s Tory government and Serious Fraud Office.
