The arrest of the former head of Algerian intelligence in the case of the kidnapping of Amir DZ... Will he reveal dangerous secrets?
The arrest of Jabbar Muhanna opens the door to questions about the repercussions of the investigations.
Written by: Mohammed Omran
In a surprising move that brought back to the forefront a thorny issue that has shaken relations between Algeria and France, the Algerian authorities have placed the former director of foreign intelligence, Djebbar Mhenna, in military prison in connection with the case related to the attempted kidnapping of Algerian opposition figure Amir Boukhours, known as “Amir DZ”, in France.
This development comes at a time when the scope of the investigations is widening to include prominent security figures, raising questions about the repercussions of the case on the security and political landscape in Algeria.
Algeria arrests its former intelligence chief in the “Amir DZ” case
According to media reports, citing a well-informed French source, Mehanna’s arrest came at a time when French judicial authorities were seeking to hear from a number of Algerian officials as part of an open investigation into the alleged kidnapping and illegal detention of Amir Boukhours on French soil in April 2025.
The sources indicated that the request to question Jabbar Mahna was raised during the visit of French Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin to Algeria on May 18, 2026, where the issue was discussed with high-level Algerian officials, including President Abdelmadjid Tebboune and Justice Minister Lotfi Boujemaa.
According to reports, the arrest of the former security official comes in the context of increasing security cooperation between Algeria and Paris, while some sources suggested that the move also aimed to avoid any path that might lead to his appearance before the French judiciary, given the sensitivity of the potential statements and their political repercussions.
The case of an Algerian dissident in France brings down a former intelligence chief
Jabbar Muhanna had previously been convicted in 2019 by a military court on charges of corruption and illicit enrichment, and served a prison sentence before later returning to service. In September 2022, he was appointed Director General of Internal Security, a position he held until September 2024.
Reports also stated that the name of the current head of Algerian foreign intelligence, Rachid Fethi Moussaoui, known as “Sadek”, appeared in a number of French press investigations related to alleged operations targeting Algerian dissidents abroad.
The newspaper “Le Journal du” had indicated, in an investigation it published during May 2025, his alleged connection to the case of Amir Boukhours.
Reports indicate that the French investigations continued to follow leads in the case, reaching high levels within the Algerian security apparatus, while the Algerian authorities have not yet issued any official comment regarding the news of Jabbar Mahna’s arrest or what was stated in the French investigations.
