Algiers Military Seize Arms From Opponents

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29913, 29 August 1962, Page 13

Algiers Military Seize Arms From Opponents

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter —Copyright) ALGIERS, August 28. Guerrilla leaders holding Algiers last night announced the seizure of arms from supporters of the Political Bureau, with which it is deadlocked over control of the citv.

Willaya IV- -the local politi-cal-military command—announced the capture of two bazookas one heavV machinegun and 12 sub-machine guns in a swoop on hideouts of followers of Yacef Saadi, a supporter of the Political Bureau The Political Bureau last night said that military leader; had arrested Mr Saadi, who is 30.

Mr Saadi, the former chief of FJL.N. gun squads in Algiers, was recently named a member of the F.L.N. party committee for greater Algiers, and Willaya IV accused him of gathering men to attack the Willaya Women Protest

Support for the Political Bureau came last night from 300 Moslem women—some veiled and some carrying babies who demonstrated through the streets of Algiers, shouting slogans in favour of converting guerrilla units into a national army without

political power, and clamouring for bread. Willaya IV troops made no attempt to disrupt the demonstration which, the Associated Press said, underlined the rising anger of Algeria's hungry masses Reuter said the women called for “an end to arrests and tortures” and “a strong and non-regionalised government .”

Reuter said that it was the first mass demonstration since the Political Bureau threatened it would appeal to the people in its struggle with Willaya IV Deadlock Remains

The situation remains deadlocked. with Willaya IV defying the Political Bureau and the Political Bureau rejecting the Willayas call for a meeting of the National Council of the Algerian Revolution (the revolutionary “Parliament") to debate the impasse. A political spokesman said such a meeting would only be held after parliamentary elections —originally set for September 2 but postponed in leflnitely on Sunday—or unless a two-thirds majority of council members called for it. Leaders of four of the six Willayas (military regions) are expected to announce full support for Mr Ahmed ben Bella, the leader of the Political Bureau, at a press conference at Setif. Algeria, today Mr ben Bella is touring the Oran region looking for further support in his struggle against the leaders of Willaya 111, covering the central Algerian Kabylie region, and Willaya IV Leaders of Willaya IV have not allowed Mr ben Bella's Political Bureau to take over Algiers Radio and have censored newspapers announcing political rallies organised by Mi ben Bel la 's supporters. The Willaya leaders’ press conference was announced by Prefecture sources in Oran. The four pro-Political Bureau

Willayas are, Willaya I (in the Aures Mountains region), Willaya II (Constantine), Willaya V (western Algeria) and Willaya VI (Sahara). One of Mr ben Bellas’s leading critics, Mr Belkacem Krim, another Deputy Premier, will also hold a press conference today, one of his staff announced yesterday. The Algerian Communist Party today came out in support of the Political Bureau in its dispute with Willaya IV.

The party said in a communique it would support the bureau, because a central authority was needed to organise elections. In the present circumstances this authority could only be 'the bureau.

The Algerian Communist Party is believed to be numerically small, but it is practically the only political party in the country to have maintained itself as a separate unit during the sevenyear war for independence.