New York  - The top UN official responsible for personnel security and safety resigned Tuesday in the wake of the terrorist attacks that killed a score of UN staff in Algiers last year.

Sir David Veness, the under-secretary general for the UN department of safety and security, submitted his resignation and was accepted by Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.

The terrorist attacks in Algiers on December 11, 2007, against the complex that housed several UN agencies, killed at least 17 staffers and injured dozens of Algerian civilians. Ban said Veness offered to "shoulder full responsibility for any security lapse that may have occurred in the context of the heinous terrorist attack."

"I am grateful to Sir David Veness for his high sense of devotion to duty and strong professional motivation," Ban said. "As the first head of the department, he has provided it strong leadership at a critical period in building a safety and security structure for the UN that has significantly improved its security management system in a whole range of areas."

Following the attacks, Ban established an independent panel to study improvements in safety and security for UN personnel worldwide. Ban said Veness will remain on his job until a replacement is found, which he said "will require some time." (dpa)