NORTH AFRICA: Aerial Kidnap

To hard-bitten French air force intelligence officers in North Africa it was the perfect chance to score a coup that might shorten Algeria's long and bloody war. Sultan Mohammed V of Morocco, with the unofficial blessing of Socialist Guy Mollet's government, had invited top Algerian rebel chieftains from their Cairo headquarters to Rabat to talk peace terms with him. Then they would fly to Tunis for discussions with moderate Tunisian Premier Habib Bourguiba. A daring plan occurred to the officers: Why not kidnap the Algerian rebels' high command in midair?

Two difficulties...

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