Constantine child killers arrested

Two more suspects have been arrested for the murder of the two children, Ibrahim Hachiche and Haroun Boudaira in the New City Ali-Mendjeli neighbourhood in Constantine. They were identified Tuesday by their partner, who was already in police custody. They have confessed to the crime. Anger and terror washed through the New City Ali-Mendjeli on Sunday when the bodies of Ibrahim, 9, and Haroun, 10, were found. They had been hidden in a black plastic bag and a green, medium-sized sports bag which were thrown away by two men, locals in the 17th Quarter testified. According to sources on the scene, the two men were spotted by a Chinese worker at a workshop who pointed them out to Algerian builders working on a site nearby. The builders started shouting, causing the two men to leave the bags behind and flee towards a set of uninhabited buildings. The police were called and locals' anxiety turned to fury at security forces' delayed response. They directed their anger at the ambulance, seriously damaging the vehicle. Reinforcements were called on to control the situation. Locals formed a protest and marched through the neighbourhood demanding justice and better security. Dozens of protesters headed to Ben Cherif Hospital where the victims' bodies were being held. The two children's bodies have since been moved to a forensic hospital, which protesters also pelted with stones. Stones were also thrown at a police station next to the hospital. Security forces resorted to teargas to disperse angry demonstrators and all government offices and schools were closed. The main suspect was arrested through the description given by the Chinese worker and the testimony given by Haroun's brother. The suspect is a young New City resident who confessed to the crime when questioned and identified his two partners to police. They have been arrested and arraigned. Judicial sources said the questioning lasted long into the night on Tuesday. Civil Protection sources in Ali-Mendjeli said the boys' bodies were found fully dressed and with their hands tied with electric wire, which the sources said suggested that the victims were held in one of the many neighbourhood workshops. Bruising on the children's necks suggested they were strangled.