Tight Security As Purge Continues In Algiers

Press, Volume C, Issue 29505, 5 May 1961, Page 13

Tight Security As Purge Continues In Algiers

tN.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright)

PARIS, May 4. A steel ring of armoured vehicles and heavily-armed troops was clamped round Algiers during the night in the French Government’s biggest show of strength since the collapse of the army putsch.

Armoured cars and truck! packed with steel-helmeted troops forbade all movement in and out of the city even for holders of special passes. Extra troops guarded all public buildings. Soldiers with belts bristling with hand grenades forced all motorists to climb from their cars, which were then minutely searched. Other troops even searched the contents of municipal rubbish vans. k The city was put on the alert at 9 p.m. and the unprecedented measures were not relaxed till this morning. A patrol fired a submachine gun burst at European settlers who threw bottles at it from the balcony to shouts of "Algeria is

French,” but no-one was hurt. Other patrols were greeted by occasional outbursts of booing and banging saucepans. the settlers’ favourite method of protesting against the 9 pm. curfew clamped on the city after the collapse of the coup eight days ago Officials refused to give the reasons for the tightened security. Tlte Government has sent nine extra riot police companies to the city. They have joined six other companies in carrying out house-to-house searches for weapons and the questioning of everybody suspected of Right-wing leanings. Reports circulating in Algiers say that an estimated 500 armed civilians have fled to the hinterland to form anti-Govemment guerrilla bands, the British United Press reported. The Right-wing "Secret Army Organisation" has circulated a pamphlet calling on all Europeans to boycott the de Gaulle Government. The pamphlet said: “An army of guerrillas is being organised. It will fight to the death.” Two Algiers newspapers were suppressed yesterday in what observers believe to be a move to suppress indoctrination. The Algiers bar of lawyers, most members of which fervently oppose French-Alger-ian negotiations, was abolished. The Armed Forces Minister, Mr Pierre Messmer, told the French Cabinet the army purge would probably end next week. Justice Ministry sources said last night that the trial of General Maurice Challe for his part in the revolt would open on May 29. He would be charged under articles of the penal code which carry the death sentence. The sources said the other leaders of the revolt—Generals Raoul Salan. Andre Zeller and Edmond Jouhaud—would be tried tn their absence along with Challe. Peace talks between France and Algerian nationalist insungents are expected to start at Evian-les-Bains. on the Swiss border. later this month. Prospects of success are better as a result of General de Gaulle's mastery of the “revolt of the generals” in Algiers. The Algerian rebel “gov-

emment” was reported recently to have suggested May 11, but observers believe it will be later. General de Gaulle has confirmed he will keep his emergency dictatorial powers. In Tunis, Algerian insurgent sources welcomed the Paris statement.