FRENCH TERRORISTS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23353, 19 November 1937, Page 9

FRENCH TERRORISTS

VAST ARMED PLOT PLANNED DISCOVERY BY THE POLICE SEARCHES PROCEEDING (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) PARIS, Nov. 17. After the arrest of the Cagoulards the police report that sensational revelations are expected. L’CEuvre says the organisation is composed of thousands of terrorists, called “ secret revolutionary militiamen,” who were preparing a vast armed plot against the Republic. The discovery of enough cheddite to blow up the entire district, the seizure of huge arms stores, and the revelation of a “ high command ” operating behind an elaborate system of sliding walls and secret rooms marked to-day’s nation-wide investigations. Searches are proceeding and further arrests are expected. The police were searching a suspected house in the night when a lorryload of arms drove up to the house. It was found to contain 100,000 cartridges, 500 machine-guns and many sub-machine-guns, several cases of hand grenades, and a large quantity of cheddite. The police also found a sliding wall, behind which was a fortresslike concrete chamber equipped with telephones, loud speakers, and microphones. Obviously this was headquarters. The guards at several Ministries in Paris have been reinforced, it is believed, as a result of the,Cagoulard discoveries.

A message received yesterday stated: After the discovery of further concrete arsenals containing rifles, revolvers, machine-guns, and grenades, the Paris police arrested four Cagoulards, including one of aristocratic birth. The police are carrying out a campaign throughout France to clean up the Cagoulards’ secret arsenals. SEVEN MEN CHARGED PARIS, Nov. 18. (Received Nov. 18, at 11.55 p.m.) Seven men have been arrested, and all will be charged with plotting against the safety of the State.