UN security chief quits after bombing report

Source: Agencies  |   2008-6-25  |     ONLINE EDITION

THE UN security chief resigned yesterday over the December 11 Algiers truck bombings after an expert panel found "gaps and weaknesses" in the UN's overall security operations due to cost-cutting.

The bombings at UN offices and another government building killed 17 UN staffers and injured 40 others, many seriously.

David Veness, the UN's undersecretary-general for security and safety, voluntarily offered his resignation and "was willing to shoulder full responsibility for any security lapse that may have occurred" in Algiers, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said.

"The report recognizes that risk management is not consistently understood or applied," Ban said.

The UN chief also highlighted the panel's conclusion there was "ample evidence that several staff members up and down the hierarchy may have failed to respond adequately to the Algiers attack, both before and after the tragedy."

Ban said for the sake of continuity, he would retain Veness for "some time" until a successor is named. Veness has served as the top UN security official since January 2005. Before that he was an assistant police commissioner in London.

The bombings added to the UN's increasing worry that its staff and missions are becoming more of a target worldwide.

In claiming responsibility for the attack, Al-Qaida in Islamic North Africa called the UN offices "the headquarters of the international infidels' den." The other site targeted that day was Algeria's Constitutional Council.

Algerian officials have repeatedly said their government did plenty to protect the United Nations.

The Algiers attack was the deadliest single act of aggression against UN staff and facilities since August 2003, when the world body's headquarters in Baghdad was hit by a truck laden with explosives, killing 22 people including the top UN envoy in Iraq.