Smain Lamari

Major General Smain Lamari (, 1941 – August 28, 2007) was the head of an Algerian intelligence service, the Department of Counter-Espionage and Internal Security.

Along with Generals Mohamed Lamari (unrelated to him), Khaled Nezzar, Larbi Belkheir and "Toufik" Médiène, he was one of the influential "Algerian Generals". Lamari was close to Larbi Belkheir, now ambassador in Morocco.

Career Born in Ain Bessam (Algeria) in 1941, the son of a taxi-driver from the Titteri region, he quit high school to join the National Liberation Army during the Algerian War of Independence (reportedly in 1959). After a brief period in the police and marines, he spent most of his career in various Algerian intelligence services – the SM, DGPS and DRS. His photo was never published in the Algerian press

Algerian Civil War Lamari was one of the Generals, along with Mohammed Touati, who forced President Chadli Bendjedid to resign in January 1992, and who cancelled the legislative election won by the FIS.

Lamari's successes in the war against the Islamists included the elimination of the first core of the GIA (Meliani, Chebouti and Bâa Azzedine), infiltration of terrorist maquis (in particular in Chrea), and the destruction of the FIDA commandos which assassinated many intellectuals, journalists and artists between 1992 and 1994.

These rumors concerning Boudiaf's projects were shared with the French secret services, to whom Lamari entertained close links, especially with General Rondot and the DST.

Funeral Smain Lamari was buried in the Quartier des Martyrs in the El Alia Cemetery, in presence of most of Algeria's policy makers. Beside President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, the ministers Abdelmalek Sellal, Chérif Rahmani, and Noureddine Moussa attended his funeral. The President of the Senate, Abdelkader Bensalah, was also there, as well as Ahmed Ouyahia (twice Prime Minister), General Khaled Nezzar, former Prime Minister Mouloud Hamrouche, Issad Rebrab. Allegations were made that the Islamist Abdelhak Layada, co-founder of the GIA, was also present, as well as Lamari's boss, General Toufik.