Algeria: Purged: Not for Ideology, Just for Opposition

Last week, 100 soldiers armed with machine guns and bazookas suddenly sealed off a block in downtown Algiers. Then, like terriers, special squads went after their prey. He was Omar Harraig, 38, no less a figure than the police commissioner of Algiers.

Once the top cop had been a loyal F.L.N. fighter for Algeria's freedom. Now he was just another enemy of Premier Ahmed ben Bella—a member of the underground Party of the Socialist Revolution, which today accuses Ben Bella of "neocolonialism, personal dictatorship and sabotage of the revolution." Caught with Harraig in the roundup were about 40...

Want the full story?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Subscribe

Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber

If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free!