World IN BRIEF : ALGERIA : Council Moves on Human Rights

The military-backed ruling council, accused of human rights abuses during its crackdown on Muslim fundamentalists, announced the formation of a human rights monitoring center. A decree signed by the council’s chairman, Mohamed Boudiaf, said the center will be run by prominent Algerians “known to be committed” to human rights. The government has acknowledged detaining 5,000 people in a wave of violent protests. The Islamic Salvation Front claims 14,000 of its followers were arrested after the ruling council voided parliamentary elections in which the fundamentalists won a resounding victory.