Batna (Algeria)–The main accused in a 2007 suicide bombing aimed at Algerian president Abdelaziz Bouteflika that left 26 people dead and over 170 wounded was on Thursday sentenced to death.
Walide Zeghina, 28, was found guilty of voluntary homicide, attempted voluntary homicide, and possession of unauthorised explosives in a public place.
Other defendants received jail terms of between three and 15 years.
The longest sentences of 15 years each were given to Mohamed Lamine Dib, the driver who took the suicide bomber and Zeghina to the scene of the bombing at Batna in eastern Algeria and Hicham Amara who took part in preparations for the attack.
Two defendants received four years and four others were jailed for three years each for lesser offences.
Imad Khaldi, a minor at the time of the crime who was charged with the same offences as Zeghina, was sentenced to five years by the Batna court due to his age.
Another defendant, also under-age at the time, was discharged having already served 18 months in custody and also appeared as a witness.
The attacker was part of a crowd awaiting a presidential visit on September 6, 2007.
