ARREST WARRANT ISSUED FOR ALGERIAN SINGER

ARREST WARRANT ISSUED FOR ALGERIAN SINGER

French authorities have issued an international arrest warrant for Algerian singer Cheb Mami, wanted on suspicion of jumping bail. The 40-year-old is wanted on charges of "voluntary violence" against an ex-girlfriend, a judicial source says. He was granted bail in February (07) but failed to answer a court summons last week (14May07). Mami is accused of trying to force an abortion on his former girlfriend, a magazine photographer, during a trip to Algeria in 2005. It is claimed his alleged victim was locked in a house belonging to one of the singer's friends, where two doctors attempted to perform an abortion. She later realised the foetus was still alive and decided to keep the child, a girl now eight months old. Mami has reportedly accused his manager of organising the abortion plan.