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| Smain Lamari | |
|---|---|
| Name | Smain Lamari |
| Native name | سمعين لماري |
| Birth date | 1941 |
| Birth place | Morocco? |
| Death date | 28/12/2007 |
| Death place | Algiers |
| Allegiance | Algeria |
| Branch | People's National Army |
| Serviceyears | 1960s–2007 |
| Rank | General officer |
| Commands | DRS |
Smain Lamari was an Algerian military officer who served as a leading figure in Algeria's security apparatus during the late 20th and early 21st centuries. He rose through the ranks of the People's National Army to become a senior official in the Department of Intelligence and Security (DRS), playing a central role in intelligence operations, counterinsurgency and political security during the Algerian Civil War and its aftermath. His career intersected with key personalities and institutions including Mohamed Boudiaf, Liamine Zeroual, Lahcene, Abdelaziz Bouteflika, Ali Kafi, and Chadli Bendjedid.
Born in 1941, Lamari's early years coincided with the late colonial period in French Algeria and the rise of the Algerian War of Independence. Sources place his origins in the Maghreb region, with some accounts indicating connections to Morocco and Tlemcen Province. He is reported to have received military education and training that connected him to institutions such as the National Liberation Army (ALN), the post-independence Ministry of National Defense (Algeria), and regional military academies that produced cadres for the Armée Nationale Populaire.
Lamari advanced within the People's National Army (Algeria) during the 1960s and 1970s, a period marked by institutional consolidation under presidents like Houari Boumédiène and Ramdane. He served in roles linking conventional forces and intelligence services, interacting with directorates such as the General Directorate for Studies and Documentation (DGED) and later the Department of Intelligence and Security (DRS). His service placed him among the cohort of military leaders who shaped post-colonial Algerian security policy alongside figures like Mohamed Mediene and Kamel Rezzag.
As a senior official in the DRS, Lamari was involved in counterespionage, counterinsurgency and internal security operations. The DRS, under directors including Major General Mohamed "Toufik" Mediene, coordinated intelligence against armed Islamist groups such as the Islamic Salvation Front (FIS), Armed Islamic Group of Algeria (GIA), and Islamic Armed Movement (MIA). Lamari's responsibilities reportedly spanned liaison with units from the Gendarmerie Nationale (Algeria), coordination with civil administration figures in Algiers and provincial centers like Oran, and oversight of operations tied to state security priorities during the 1990s.
During the crisis following the 1991–1992 electoral interruption that preceded the civil war, Lamari became a prominent security actor involved in strategies to combat insurgent groups and stabilize the regime associated with presidents such as Ali Kafi, Liamine Zeroual, and later Abdelaziz Bouteflika. He worked within a network that included the High Council of State (Algeria), the Ministry of Interior (Algeria), and military councils that shaped counterinsurgency policy, negotiating ceasefire efforts, amnesty discussions, and surveillance programs targeting Islamist organizations, regional dissidents and expatriate networks across Europe.
Lamari's tenure was accompanied by allegations and controversies linked to the conduct of intelligence operations, human rights issues, and alleged involvement in clandestine actions. Critics and human rights organizations cited the DRS in relation to disappearances, extrajudicial actions and repression during the "Black Decade", prompting scrutiny from groups such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. Political rivals and exile opposition figures accused elements of the security services of manipulating political outcomes, including the 1992 cancellation of elections and subsequent political engineering attributed to military-intelligence circles that involved personalities like Mohammed Saïd and Kamel Chikhi.
In his later years Lamari remained a figure within the security establishment as Algeria navigated post-conflict reconstruction, reconciliation initiatives such as the Civil Harmony Law and the National Reconciliation Charter. He died on 28 December 2007 in Algiers; his death elicited public statements from state institutions including the Ministry of National Defense (Algeria), and drew commentary from political actors such as Abdelaziz Bouteflika and former military leaders. His legacy remains debated among historians, journalists and analysts of North Africa and Maghreb security history.
Category:Algerian military personnel Category:1941 births Category:2007 deaths