Tshombe’s Return To Congo Sought

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31412, 4 July 1967, Page 15

Tshombe’s Return To Congo Sought

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright)

ALGIERS, July 3. The former Congolese Prime Minister, Mr Moise Tshombe, still held for questioning in Algeria, may be forced to return to the nation he once ruled to face execution as a traitor.

Well - informed sources in the Congo capital of Kinshasa said the Congolese Minister of State, Bernard Diaka, would fly to Algiers today to discuss his Government’s request for the extradition of the former Prime Minister.

Mr Tshombe and his companions have been in the hands of Algerian security officers since their mystery landing on an Algerian airstrip on Saturday. There was still no confirmation here of reports that Mr Tshombe’s chartered aircraft was hijacked over the Mediterranean and the pilot forced to head for Algeria. A Congo Government communique said today Mr Tshombe’s extradition was sought not for political offences but for common law offences.

Diplomatic efforts continued, meanwhile, to find out what has happened to the other members of Mr Tshombe's party, reported to include a British pilot, Mr David Taylor, and co-pilot, Mr Trevor Coppleston, a woman secretary, two Spanish detectives and some Belgians.

In Madrid, Mr Tshombe’s home • in - exile, informed

sources said they believed the former Prime Minister was lured into a trap by business associates, but officials have kept silent. Mr Thomas Tshombe, broth-

er of the former Prime Minister, arrived in Madrid yesterday from Brussels and said he did not believe Algeria would hand his brother over to Congolese authorities.