CAIRO, July 17: When Abassi Madani walked out of jail as a free man on Tuesday, many Algerians were taken by surprise for the fundamentalist leader's parole came at a time when insurgency violence claimed over 100 lives since last week in the North African country.

Sixty-six-year-old Madani is the second fundamentalist have been released this month by Algerian President Liamine Zeroual.

Madani, founder of banned Islamic Salvation Front (ISF), was arrested in 1991 for calling a general strike and was later sentenced to 12 years imprisonment. His release has drawn mixed response in the capital, Algiers.

``Supposing such a gesture is just the result of pressure or some kind of political blackmail, in reality it can only sow doubts and maintain a climate of suspicion,'' said the daily El Moudjahid.

Diplomats are of the opinion that the move could be a new strategy of the government of appeasing fundamentalists. Several opposition Parliament members also termed Madani's release as a ``gesture of appeasement'' by the government. The Algerian government is, however, maintaining a studied silence on the release of Madani and Hachani. The banned Front, in its reaction over the release of Madani said it was a positive act by the government.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.