A general view of damage caused by a siege by Islamist militants earlier this month at the Tiguentourine Gas Plant in In Amenas, 1600 km southeast of Algiers, January 31, 2013. REUTERS/Louafi Larbi

OTTAWA -- RCMP investigators confirm the remains of a Canadian have been found in Algeria as part of a probe into allegations a Canadian helped mastermind a terrorist attack there in January.

More than 38 foreign hostages were killed in the gas plant attack.

The Algerian prime minister told media a Canadian man headed up the deadly hostage-taking and Canadian authorities have scrambled to authenticate the claim since late January.

"The RCMP confirms that Canadian human remains have been identified in Algeria. However, as this is an ongoing investigation, no further information will be given at this time," spokesman Cpl. David Falls said Monday.

Foreign Affairs declined comment and no name was released.

Al-Qaida-linked jihadist Mokhtar Belmokhtar claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it was retaliation for the ongoing French-led mission against terrorists in neighbouring Mali.

In February, Ottawa confirmed a Canadian-Lebanese citizen was involved in a deadly bus bombing in Bulgaria in July that killed five Israeli tourists and one Bulgarian.

-with files from Reuters