safety in Algeria
 

Hi
We plan (3 french 4x4) to spend october month in Algeria coming from Tunisia . Most part of the travel ( by tracks and of tracks )should be between Hassi Messaoud to south of Djanet . In light of the events in US and the possible US replica , what are the opinions about safety and people reactions ?
Thanks JeaLuc

A question on many people's minds right now -no doubt. Clearly there is no way of knowing at this stage, although it very much depends on what the US does over the short term.

Meanwhile, the financial sector of London or N York is probably more dangerous than anywhere between Hassi and Djanet. Once you are out in the desert, you are very safe from attacks, in my mind. Any person wanting to have a go at westerners wouldn't be looking for them in an oued in southern Algeria.

In my experience, though, people from Europe and the US are all regarded as one in these parts - so whether you are French and your government is taking a careful line, or British and have a 'president' who wants a walk on part in the war, or Swiss and have a clear track record, doesn't matter that much. Is that your experience too?

Something to watch which specifically connects Algeria and the US:

ALGERIAN BOMBER AWAITS HIS FATE IN THE US
A US federal court in Los Angeles on Monday postponed for the second time the sentencing of an Algerian convicted of terrorism in a plot to bomb the Los Angeles International Airport during 2000 millennium celebrations. "The sentencing has been continued until February 14th at (9:00 am) because the defence requested more time," court representative Lawrence Lincoln said. Ahmed Ressam (34) was convicted in April of conspiring to commit an act of international terrorism plus eight related counts stemming from his arrest in December 1999 at the US-Canadian border in Washington state. His sentencing was first postponed until Monday in July. - AFP