The kidnapped Kabylie teenager whose disappearance sparked massive searches and public counter-terrorism demonstrations was killed by three friends, Algerian police said on Thursday (October 25th).

Two suspects, aged 19 and 25, were arrested last Wednesday "with the help of citizens and information provided by the victim's mobile sim card", the regional commander of the Algerian national police said at a Tizi Ouzou news conference.

"The victim died from strangulation after being beaten in a house that is under construction," APS quoted the unidentified officer as saying. The case "has nothing to do with terrorism", the officer said.

The body of Ghilas Hadjou, 19, was found buried near a beach in Tizi Ouzou. Hadjou was abducted October 18th on a road linking Azeffoun to his village of Mellata.

In related news last week, a Tizi Ouzou court sentenced eight terrorists to death for the kidnapping and murder of businessman Hend Slimana, 48, El Watan reported. A total of 14 suspects, accused of three kidnappings and 19 other terror-related operations, stood trial in the case.