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<P><B><FONT size=3>SA warned of Algeria-type urban terror</B><!--BODY--> </FONT>
<P><FONT size=2>CAPE TOWN -- South Africa had been warned that if it did not act
against urban terror it could find itself in the same situation as Algeria,
Safety and Security Minister Steve Tshwete said yesterday.</FONT> <FONT
size=2>Addressing a media briefing at Parliament, he defended himself against
claims that he had no grounds for linking Muslim vigilante group Pagad to the
terror, saying that a string of Pagad members had recently been
convicted.</FONT> <FONT size=2>The security forces also had yet to receive any
indication from Pagad that it intended to discipline its members involved in
violent acts.</FONT> <FONT size=2>The police were not looking for an
"unknown" group and evidence pointed to Pagad's G-Force group. Police
were not looking beyond this group.</FONT> <FONT size=2>It was now a matter of
evidence gathering to prosecute the perpetrators, he said.</FONT> <FONT
size=2>Those responsible for the bombings and assassinations were few in number
and operated in small cells spread over the Cape Flats.</FONT> <FONT size=2>Most
members of the Muslim community were unhappy with developments and were helping
the police in the fight against "fundamentalist activities".</FONT>
<FONT size=2>Tshwete said he was confident normality would soon be restored in
the city.</FONT> <FONT size=2>He appealed to law-abiding Pagad members to come
forward with information to end the scourge of urban terror.</FONT> <FONT
size=2>He gave the assurance that the police were in a position to provide
adequate security to all judicial officials involved in urban terrorism court
cases.</FONT> <FONT size=2>It appeared the bombers were attempting to
"maximise" the impact of their devices, but had not yet perfected
these.</FONT> <FONT size=2>Tshwete said forensic experts had detected
similarities in the explosives used in the bombings.</FONT> <FONT size=2>Pagad's
G-Force appeared to have shifted its focus from drug dealers. The state was now
"in the firing line" for, among other things, allowing legalised
abortion and homosexuality.</FONT> <FONT size=2>Tshwete said he wanted to make
it clear that this was a serious situation and the government had to take a
tough stand.</FONT> <FONT size=2>"It is not the time for niceties when you
are facing a group of this particular nature," he said.</FONT> <FONT
size=2>"Our friends in Algeria have intimated to us that if we are not
taking a bold stand we may soon find ourselves in a similar situation as one
finds in Algeria today."</FONT> <FONT size=2>Algeria has been torn by
violence since the army cancelled the 1992 legislative elections which a Muslim
fundamentalist party, the Islamic Salvation Front, was favoured to win.</FONT>
<FONT size=2>Tshwete said he held no firm view on whether Pagad should be
banned, but did not think this would solve anything.</FONT> <FONT
size=2>Security operations had to be intensified to get those responsible to
court.</FONT> <FONT size=2>The government also intended to tighten up
anti-terror legislation, but would avoid a return to "apartheid-style"
laws.</FONT> <FONT size=2>In a statement, Koos van der Merwe of the Inkatha
Freedom Party said the IFP was not sure if the envisaged legislation would serve
its desired purpose.</FONT> <FONT size=2>"Adding laws upon others cannot
take the place of decisive leadership, which goes beyond threats," he said.
-- Sapa</FONT> </P></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>