The 0.A.S. was founded after the abortive coup in Algeria in January 1960 and has since grown into a ramified fascist-typo orrorist organisation. It has a Commissar-General, four Vice—Commissars, 80 provincial directors and 200 group leaders. There are branches in practically every French and ilgerian city, and agencies in Federal Germany, Spain, Italy and Switzerland. 0O.A.S. membership is drawn from Algcrian ultras, fascists from the "Young National" and Camelot du Roi organisations, Poujadists and old and new friends of Franco and Salazar.
Since April it has been reinforced by Foreign Legion paratroopers and now has a total membership of 20,000, Tho 0.1.5. is well armod. In addition to arms captured from Algerian arsenals, it has helicopters and artillery. The suprno commander is Gen. Salan, former French Commander-in-Chief in Algeria, sentenced to death in absentia for his part in tho April rising.
The 0.A.S. terrorists are only pawns in a game dirocted -byjikdn-who“have not yet beon identified. But they can be without much difficulty. On Septomber /t, the authorities arrested Maurice Gingembro, the 0.4.5. 'liinister of Finance’ as he was returning to Algeria from Paris. Gingoembre is a director of the Scciete du Djobel Omk, a huge Algerian Phosphate mining company with assets of approximately 15,000 million Francs.
His father, Paul Gingembre, is president of this and another mining concorn, the Societe Togolaise des mines du Benin, vice-president of the big chemical combine Union Francaise d'lingrais et de Produits Chimques, administrative head of still another chomical concern and director of a number of other firms. The Gingembres are classed among the '100 seigneurs," the top crust of Buropean settlurs who have a stranglehold on the Algerian economy, And that stranglehold has given them fabulous profits. The personal income of Laurent Schiafino, head of the Algerian Navigation Co., adds up to more than 2,000 million francs a yoar., That of another "seigneur," Georges Blachette, amounts to 1,500 million francs,
They have always regarded ilgeria their own private preserve, and the; are the mainstay of French reaction. They are using their economic might, the pac press and their position in French politics to block anything rosembling political reform, let alone change. They abhor the idea of negotiating with the F.L.N.3 their policy is "war to a victorious finish."
They are vehemently opposed to de Gaulles policy, which is in the interests of French monopoly groups prepared to sacrifice tho interests of the "100 scignours" and conclude a peace in Algeria, on terms, neodloss to say that would guarantee THHIR interests, primarily in the Sahara.
The above consists of extracts from an article in tho Octotdr+lovanb., issue of Free Algeria. This issue also contains a four page letter from comrade Pablo to the F.L.N.. It costs 6d post paid.