French Bishop Dies in Algerian Car Bombing
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ALGIERS — A car bomb killed a French bishop on his way home from a ceremony honoring seven French monks slain by Algerian militants.
Pierre Claverie, the bishop of Oran, and his chauffeur died in the blast late Thursday.
Just hours earlier, the bishop had participated in a ceremony in Tibhirine, 60 miles south of Algiers, where French Foreign Minister Herve de Charette paid tribute to the Trappist monks abducted and killed in May.
Speaking from Paris on Friday, De Charette condemned “in the most absolute, indignant manner this vile attack, this act of particular cowardice.”
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the car bombing, but Algerian officials said they viewed it as retaliation by the Islamic militants for De Charette’s visit, meant to boost trade and diplomatic ties between France and its former colony.
Muslim militants in Algeria consider France’s tacit support of the army-backed government a major obstacle to their fight to establish an Islamic state.
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