Islamic leader

A pro-Iranian activist who fought with Afghan mujahedin guerrillas is to lead an Algerian Muslim fundamentalist group suspected of involvement in the murder of foreigners, Reuter reports from Tunis.

The anti-Islamist newspaper Le Matin named Cherif Gousmi as the new leader of the Armed Islamic Group, succeeding Sayah Attia, a fundamentalist who was shot by security forces last week.