afrol News, 19 June - Gambian football authorities have written to the football world governing body FIFA, expressing concern and outrage over reported claims that some Algerian players threatened to "blow up" the hotel of Gambian team in Blida, Algeria, this Friday.

"We regret to inform you that during The Gambia/Algeria match played on 14 June, several threats were made to our players by certain Algerian players who claimed to be 'terrorists'," Secretary General of Gambia Football Association (GFA) Jammeh Bojang told FIFA.

"Our player, Ousman Jallow, was confronted during the match by two Algerian players, who threatened to bomb our hotel in Algiers during the return match this coming weekend," he said.

"As a consequence, we are writing to inform you of these threats so that precautionary measures can be taken to safeguard the well-being of our national delegation in Algeria."

Algeria's football authorities dismissed the allegations as "groundless", and promised to guarantee the security of Gambian players and fans who had already arrived for the return leg of the 2010 World Cup preliminary match.

Gambian squad defeated Algeria 1-0 in Banjul last Saturday, boosting the country's chances of moving closer to the World Cup and Cup of Nations finals. The defeat has put The Gambia at par with Senegal as the group leaders, followed by Algeria and Liberia respectively.

Algeria has been at the center of violence since in the 1990 when a civil conflict killed more than 200,000 people. The North African country has also been struck with deadly terrorist explosions by the Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda in the Maghreb. At least two people, including a French engineer, were killed during the group's latest bomb attack on 8 June.

Algerian government has deployed at least 1,000 police officers along the beaches of Algiers to prevent terrorist from attacking tourists. The police intends to guarantee maximum security in 25 of the 47 beaches of Algiers. Three helicopters would also provide patrol on the beaches.

Islamic extremists are in the habit of attacking women tourists for exposing their naked bodies on the beaches.

By Musa Saidykhan

© afrol News

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