Paris Police On Permanent Alert

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29719, 12 January 1962, Page 11

Paris Police On Permanent Alert

iIi.Z.P.A-Heuler—Lopungnt) PARIS, January 10. The French Minister of the Interior (Mr Roger Frey) was keeping police in and around Paris on a “permanent state of cold alert,” a Reuter correspondent said.

There had been persistent rumours and counterrumours about a possible putsch by the Secret Army Organisation, partly from official and partly from outlaw channels. The police alert was made known after a Cabinet meeting in Paris today. It is admitted semiofficially that the big concentration of police round Paris last Friday night was only partly caused by the announced Communist demonstration.

Three ministerial conferences have been held since Saturday at the Prime Minister's office to consider emergency measures to deal with any attempted rising The police reinforcement last week-end was prompted it is now known, by alarming messages received from the Government’s representatives in Algiers, warning of possible action by the O.A.S In Algiers a European school teacher was shot dead and two others wounded tonight when a gunman opened fire on them as they were .leaving a school in the city’s Moslem quarter. In other incidents in Algiers, a Moslem was killed and two Moslems and a European wounded. In Oran, in Eastern Algeria, a Moslem municipal councillor was killed by a gunman whe escaped The Algerian rebel Gov-ernment-in-exile announced today that it was ready to speed up peace negotiations with France. In a statement published in Mohammedia. Morocco, at the end of a three-day meeting, the rebel leaders said they were anxious for an agreement giv r g Algeria its independence and providing full guarantees for the

legitimate interests of France and the European minority in Algeria. This was the first meeting cf the rebel Cabinet ever held outside its usual headquarters in Tunis, reported the British United Press. The statement said: "The Provisional Government of the Algerian Republic has noted the evolution toward a peaceful negotiated solution of the Algerian problem “It reaffirmed its desire to hasten an era of peace in Algeria and to conclude an agreement permittine a sincere and loyal application of the right of the Algerian people to self-determination and independence. The rebel Government also announced tonight its determination to crush the O.A.S. in Algeria, reported Reuter. In the communique the O.A.S. was described as composed of “colonialist and fascist groups.”