Algeria: Update on the In Amenas inquest

A second preliminary meeting between the UK Coroner and interested parties - a legal term for the narrow band of parties entitled to give evidence at a coroner’s inquest - ahead of the inquest in September/October, is scheduled for 20 May.

The families of the British nationals killed in the attack are under the impression that the coroner is committed to “leaving no stone unturned” in wanting to establish what led up to the attack. However, we have written confirmation from the London Metropolitan Police - who are acting as the agent for the coroner and who are effectively under the direction of MI6 on the matter - that the inquest will be strictly limited to the “who, when where and how” and not “why”.

We take it from this that the coroner, on the advice of the Met/MI6, will not be allowing the admission of evidence from eye witnesses to the meetings between the leader of the terrorist attack, Mohamed Lamine Bouchneb, and senior DRS officers, even though such witnesses are readily available.

The signs are becoming clearer that the inquest will be extremely narrow and could be an effective cover-up with regard to the key questions of why the attack took place and who was behind it.
For more news and expert analysis about Algeria, please see Algeria Focus and Algeria Politics & Security.

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