Radicals Threaten `Fire And Flame’ In Algeria

A radical Islamic group threatened Thursday to end the Muslim holy month with “fire and flame,” and exiled fundamentalist leaders accused security forces of massacring inmates in a prison riot.

The government, in its first detailed casualty breakdown, said 96 inmates and four guards were killed in the two-day revolt that ended Wednesday at Algiers’ Serkadji prison. Fundamentalist opponents of the government put the toll as high as 200.

The government said the slain inmates included 81 Islamic militants and 15 common-law prisoners. Unofficial sources said most of the common-law prisoners were executed by mutineers for not joining the revolt.

Officials said the uprising started when four guards were taken hostage and their throats were slit by inmates trying to organize a mass escape.

Exiled leaders of the outlawed Islamic Salvation Front denounced the prisoner killings and demanded an inquiry.

The Islamic Salvation Army, the movement’s armed wing inside Algeria, promised more violence before the end of the holy month of Ramadan here on March 3.

“The final days of Ramadan will be fire and flame confronting the putschist authorities,” the group said in a bulletin received in Paris.

The Islamic Salvation Army and the Armed Islamic Group, the two main guerrilla factions, had already called on their forces to intensify attacks during Ramadan.