Mob attacks two Algerian dailies
2011-09-15 22:25
Algiers - A mob of around 100 youths tried to set fire to two private dailies' printing plant in Algiers, the papers' managers said on Thursday.
The mob, armed with molotov cocktails, tried to storm the printing plants of the French-language El Watan and the Arabic-language El Khabar at around 20:30 GMT on Wednesday.
"We came very close to a catastrophe," El Watan boss Omar Belhouchet told AFP.
"We had three months' worth of paper in there. There would have been a major blaze if it weren't for the bravery of the employees who stood in their way," he said.
El Khabar managing editor Cherfi Rezki said it was unclear why the printing plant was targeted but added it appeared that the youths were angry over new housing they were offered.
Both newspapers recently announced their intention to launch radio and television channels following the announcement by the government that the broadcast media would open up to the private sector.