Spies Die in the Sahel
One day, an Algerian officer came knocking at my door, he was in civilian clothes, well dressed and did not take off his dark sunglasses until he left: :
“_...Abou cif ?…Jamal Abou cif ?
“_...and you are..?
“_….. it's from the colonel ...he wants to meet you in private ..” was it a trap? ... no…the colonel knew what I could do. the match took place in the grandstands of the stadium, among the supporters of the local team. it's me who have chose this place. when he came to sit beside me, he handed me an envelope:
“_... here are the photos of the four terrorists most wanted by our country…” their names were in the back “_..one million dinars by head ...dead or alive ..”
“_..I'm sorry; I'm not a bounty hunter ...”
“_... it's time to tell you that the vise clamps around you ...
“_... YYAEE... _” the local team had just scored a goal, standing with the supporters, I took off my glasses, revealing red eyes:
“ it seems that you didn’t take things seriously during our last interview ”
“_...Oh, you know, you can threaten me as much as you want, it will not change your case ... on the contrary, you only aggravate the situation ...I ‘ve the matter in hand and I ‘m the only one able to exonerate you ... you have killed two soldiers whom I did not indicate yet in my reports.._”
At first I wanted to finish with this colonel once and for all ... but I could no longer support being hunted, exiled with my children. he was more ambitious than I thought, we had to do fifty-fifty neither seen nor known. I had concealed my implication in this matter to my son despite knowing that he would give me primordial support, so I had to count on Ladmek.
It is not enough to pronounce the slogan that glorifies god and his prophet as it’s the case for DAECH… to integrate AQIM or Al-Qaeda, you must commit an attempt. to tell you gentlemen that among these people, one do not joke with the faith ... oh no, they don’t tolerate it ... one award by the Kalach-Nikov those who grant their lives for to establish a law.
I had not yet left the national territory, the north of Mali was completely conquered by AQIM.
Tamanrasset ... .January / 2015: the good season for tourists, although their number has considerably decreased. what has increased in against part, is the impressive number of black African fleeing conflict and Starvation. to have a coffee, it was useful to go to the places which (displayed full), it was no more than to sit and to strain the ear .........a truck of 20.000L of fuel had just been diverted yesterday to the north of Mali .... was this the right track?. No, desert robbers have always existed. among the Westerners, there are many who think that desert people are only made for raising cattle and picking dates at the harvest day. the caravan time is not completely over but the Toyota has replaced the camel and many of them preferred to bring Kalach-nikov instead of having their traditional sword. Instead of transporting dates, salt or other foodstuffs, there are some who risk their lives by ensuring the transfer of canabis resin (drug) from the western border of Algeria (morocco) to Libya. they are not quintals, but tons that the Algerian authorities regularly intercept on average each week. yes sir, those who claim to fight terrorism contribute indirectly to its financing. and I always told myself that my four outlaws were not of genre to fit into a pseudo Islamic state where there is amusement in wasting ammunition and slogging Allah Akbar, I had to find another pipe, nothing is needed to run, we must start from scratch.
An incognito of color had come to sit at my table:
“_...listen brother... I have trouble ... .exétera ... ..ext ... ._ »
he was speaking french, and he was rather talkative, he took a coffee with me and then i invited him to share my dinner in my hotel room:
“_... how long have you been here?
“_... It's my second year
“_... and you still want to stay at Tamanrasset?
“_..If I will not have my apparatus next week, I would be in the obligation to leave towards north
“_..you can always consult another dentist and arrange with him an ease of payment…_” he had only a few (pitiful teeth)
“_... HAHAH ... it’s not an apparatus teeth… it is called a metal detector, it looks like a vacuum cleaner used in households
“_ .. Do you need that for your job?
“ _..it costs 100,000dinars (1,800 euros), and it sells on the black market… It seems that you are not aware…. there is gold around dear brother….. I do not say that there is a lot as to pick up with the shovel, but they are real nuggets of 24caras scattered on the ground… barely hidden by a thin layer of sand, or stones
“_..that explains the impressive number of Africans and all these people coming from the north
“_ .. if you want to join us, I warn you dice now ... there are armed individuals among gold diggers
“_ .. you have already ventured into this places at least?
he answered affirmatively moving his head, he had not yet finished eating while I was preparing tea. after get rid of the table, here is my host well served: two cups of tea and my package of Marlboro in the middle of the table, he grabbed a cigarette right away and I did the same
“_ .. yes sir... they confiscated our gold harvest
“_..the Tuaregs ?..” negative was his answer by nodding the head.
“_... I have to leave now, .. I ...
“_..you did not drink your tea ... why are you in a hurry?
“_ .. thank you for the dinner .. well..we are not going to play cards now?
«_... Euuh... justly..” as I stretched out my hand to reach my backpack which was on the bed, and from which I took the envelope handed over by the colonel, the sword had fallen to the ground. here are four cards on the table to begin the game. seeing them he got up by taking a step backwards
“_..so, they were bearded men… white people with turbans who have confiscate your gold , isn't that?..._”
“_...yes I think it must be this one ... the others ... I don’t remember ... you are not going to face them with your sword?
“_... your passport brother ...” one would say that his eyes came out of his head when he saw my automatic weapon pointed at him
“_..Listen sir, my stay has just expired, I intend to go to Algiers to the consulate….
"_ .. stop ...... i said stop , I'm not what you believe ... I just want to make sure that you come back tomorrow morning to show me the way
………
“_...he's down there at the bottom of the mountain ... in the dry river ... but they're six ...” told me Ladmek, i knew that it was not going to be long in locating him. pointed in the right place, I watched them at a distance and like any self-respecting hiker, there was enough food in my bag as well as two bottles of mineral water. It will be long and not be easy…… here is someone who has moved away from the group ... .for his needs without doubts…….. this was not my ugly. In the early morning, three of them had gone, they are only three now…mine was rolling a barrel of gasoline with his foot ... where does he want to go ? ...
by throwing a glance all around, I had seen their vehicle hidden between the bushes. it’s time to act now unless the two other will join him “_.don’t move .._” his Kalash-Nikov was hanging on his shoulder
“_..it’s the Colonel who sent you ?..” then he put his hand in his pocket
“_... ??... Stop ... you're dead ... .you will cause me less trouble so ... don’t play the idiot..” he had just thrown in my direction a little plastic box ... it was transparent and in the twinkling of an eye, I could see that it was gold inside
“ .. pick up the box and tell him that the harvest was lean this month ..what are you waiting for? .go shoot ..it will be your turn soon ... another dumbass agent like you will come to make you the skin..”
The shock was such that I almost knocked down my pistol. so, it was not just me with whom the colonel was doing bizness. I said that in my life I always hated waiting, but being taken for a dumbass is something I never tolerate.
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Friday, May 13, 2016, nothing special in the headlines of the newspapers, although an Algerian tourist was found dead at dawn on Sousse beach in Tunisia. the autopsy will surely confirm a drowning, asphyxia or strangulation. Considering his identity, I let you guess. Considering his identity, I let you guess. but it was not only that, my wife told me that one had become grandparents
“_..it's a boy ...his wife has just given birth in Italy ...in his country of origin
At hearing to Melouka, it seems that she didn't show a great enthusiasm, nor me either, as a matter of fact; my wife never took too much in heart the arrival of Valeta in the family “_ .. Salamou-alaykoum..” talk of the Devil
“_ .. then son ... ready to set course for Italy? ... or maybe Sicily?
“_ .. I can't join Valeta on the phone
“_...so how did you know ?
“_ .. I received an email from Bryan
“_ .. come on ... I have to talk to you..” the interview was in front of his mother, there was not much thing to hide now
“listen to your father if you don't want to end up like your grandfather”it was Melouka and she seemed to know things... from my mother without doubts
“_ .. I just want to see my son once and I promise you to come back soon ... since you have decided so…
“_...be careful….from now on you are in great danger.._”
“_...see you later mom…._”
«_...come back save and sound my boy…_” I think this is the first time she saw her son taking some fresh air with a weapon in his back , it did not surprise her. what she regretted, it’s not to have pocket money to give him. later when I threw the little plastic box in her arms as a sign of consolation, there she could not hide her astonishment “_...yes Mimi .... there is gold in Tamanrasset…._” when a truth follow another, the second assumes the presupposition form. she knew I’m not made for digging all day in the Sahara under a blazing sun.
“_...why should he not go to the authorities so that he can benefit from the law of national reconciliation, as all the others have done? ... those who have throw down the weapons... he hasn't participated in killings
“_...never….did you hear me .....nobody should know he is here except his brothers…_”
This law is still in force, it cost billions to the Algerian government. approved by the senate, and once passed at the polls of the citizens. it was the yes witch prevailed despite intense protests. so the repented were able to integrate civilian life and could take again their jobs. They have been paid with retroactive effect and have profit from many welfare benefits. yes, peace is bought.
As the Colonel said before his death, the vise clamps around me...however in the immensity of the desert..from Mauritania to Egypt...? this is why I have found useful to stay there ……. as much to look for a needle in a haystack
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