Enigmatic Hospitalization of Separatists’ Leader Shows Degree of Intimacy Between Algerian Security Apparatus and “Polisario” Leadership

The enigmatic hospitalization of Brahim Ghali, leader of the separatist militias in Spain under a false Algerian name, shows the degree of intimacy between the Algerian security apparatus and the leadership of the “Polisario”, said political scientist Mustapha Tossa. This degree of intimacy makes the presence of the Algerian state in any negotiation on the Sahara conflict “absolutely mandatory”, he said in an analysis posted Sunday on the Atlasinfo website. In this analysis under the title “The enigmatic delivery of the Polisario militia leader Brahim Ghali”, Mustapha Tossa shed light on the ins and outs of this political and security scandal. “Social networks are buzzing with this double question: Why did the Algerian services choose to hospitalize Brahim Ghali, leader of the militias of the Polisario separatists in Spain, knowing very well that he is being prosecuted by the Spanish justice system for rape, torture and crimes against humanity? Why Spain failed to inform Morocco? And who gave the information on his Algerian identity to the press and caused such a political and security scandal whose scope goes far beyond the sinister person Brahim Ghali?” wrote the columnist.
The first scenario that comes to mind, based on the accuracy of the information on Brahim Ghali’s Algerian passport, says that the leak could come from the Algerian services. This information on the use of false travel documents and identities are traditionally held by the Algerian counter-espionage, he noted.
But, “the whole question of this scenario is to know if the leak was voluntary with the Machiavellian objective of provoking this scandal about Brahim Ghali, who has become embarrassing. Or if it is a loophole which made it possible to deliver to the press one of the state secrets supposed to be the best kept in the Algerian strategy”, affirmed the columnist. In both cases, “the credibility of the Algerian services, supposed to have mobilized the best intelligence agents on this affair, takes a serious blow”, he assured. According to Mustapha Tossa, “with the exception of the hypothesis of a Spanish leak or a Moroccan performance, the idea of ??an Algerian flaw, whether voluntary or not, largely dominates the analyzes on this enigmatic delivery of Brahim Ghali, sued in Spain for crimes and torture”.
If sanctions are taken, it could indicate that the Algerian junta is punishing the perpetrators of a possible blunder or a leak. If nothing happens, this could confirm in the minds of many “an Algerian desire to get rid at a good price of a burden called Brahim Ghali, the use of whom is undoubtedly no longer compatible with the political sequence to come”, he said.
On the Moroccan diplomatic level, this case has allowed Morocco to express a misunderstanding and an exasperation and to ask for explanations from the Spanish authorities on this secret hospitalization and on the fact that the Spanish justice has not yet reacted to the numerous complaints filed by the victims of Brahim Ghali, AKA Mohamed Benbetouche, underlined Mustapha Tossa. As of last Friday, the chief of Spanish diplomacy Arancha Gonzalez Laya hastened to declare that relations with Morocco would not be affected by the “strictly humanitarian reception” of the leader of the Polisario. “This does not prevent or disrupt the excellent relations that Spain has with Morocco,” recalled the political scientist.