Algiers suicide bombers were former inmates, says official

Algiers: Two convicted terrorists who had been freed in an amnesty were responsible for the suicide blasts that killed 37 people in Algeria, a security official said.

One of the bombers was a 64-year-old man with cancer while the other was a 32-year-old from a suburb considered a breeding ground for terrorists, the official said.

Al Qaida has claimed responsibility for the twin truck bombings on Tuesday. The victims included UN staff from around the world, police officers and law students.

Marie Heuze, chief spokeswoman for UN offices in Geneva, said the latest casualty list showed 11 UN staffers died in the attack and five were still missing.

The Interior Ministry raised the death toll in the bombings to 37, saying six more bodies had been found in the rubble of the UN offices. Rescuers also pulled out seven survivors.

The Algerian security official identified the older bomber, who struck the UN offices, as Chebli Brahim, who was suffering from cancer and had two sons killed in army raids.

The younger bomber, who targeted the Constitutional Council building, was identified as Charef Larbi. He was arrested for "supporting terrorist groups" and imprisoned in 2004.