Authorization request to eliminate an organizer of a French legion deserters organization, Schulz Lesum, in Tetouan, Morocco.
June 1958
Operations Conducted Since the 1st of January 1956
Operations conducted since the 1st of January 1956 [1]
Target | Location | Date | Means | Outcome | Result (see key) |
Trigger explosions during visit from Mr. DUBOIS at Gal VALINO | Tetouan | Jan. 56 | Placement explosives | Three explosions | R 1 |
Target an important rebel chief | Algeria | March 56 | Booby-trapped radio set | Destruction of Ben Moulaid Mostaffa | R 1 |
BEN BELLA | Cairo | Jul. 56 | Attack with a suppressed firearm in the street | Operation cancelled at the last moment by governmental order | A 1 |
Arms dealer boat | Trieste | August 56 | Underwater charge placed by a frogman. Insertion from land | Objective not encountered | A 3 |
Arms dealer boat | Tanger | August 56 | Underwater charge placed by a frogman. Insertion from boat | The boat was identified by the traffickers on its way out, mission cancelled | A 2 |
FLN training camp | Libya | August 56 | Transport of a commando by submarine | Operation cancelled at the last moment by governmental order | A 1 |
Radio LE CAIRE | Cairo | August 56 | Placement of an explosive by an operator | Operation cancelled by governmental order | A 1 |
Radio DAMAS | Damas | Sep. 56 | ʺ | ʺ | A 1 |
Attack the premises of Otto SCHLUTTER | Hamburg | Sep. 56 | ʺ | The premises are significantly damaged. Schlutter is harmed, one of his friends is killed. | R 1 |
KAMAL | Madrid | Nov. 56 | Attack the objective with a suppressed firearm in his hotel room | The target had left the hotel for an unknown destination | A 3
|
Target | Location | Date | Means | Outcome | Result
|
Arms dealer boat | Trieste | Dec. 56 | Underwater charge set up by a frogman. Insertion from land | No objective encountered | A 3 |
NASSER | Port Said | Dec. 56 | Remotely controlled explosion at the arrival of the objective | Operation cancelled by superior order | A 1 |
F.L.N. vehicles | Tunis | Feb. 57 | Placement of an explosive on the vehicle | The operator is arrested by the police | A 2 |
Egyptian oil tanker | Istanbul | Feb. 57 | Charge placed by a frogman | Objective has left despite operators placing explosive within 24h of receiving intelligence | A 3 |
F.L.N. premises | Tunis | March 57 | Placement of a timed explosive charge | One of the operators was arrested and interrogated at length by the police, but having maintained his foreign cover, was released | E |
F.L.N. premises | Tunis | March 57 | ʺ | Premise is destroyed – 3 FLN killed | R 1 |
Ahmed KAMAL | Madrid | March 57 | Attacking the objective in his villa (suppressed firearm) | Presence of 3 persons close to the objective at the time of the attack prevented the operator from shooting | A 2 |
Danish cargo | Tunis | March 57 | Underwater charge placed by a frogman. | The objective has not [moored] for a night in Tunis | A 3 |
ALLAL EL FASSI | Tanger | April 57 | Triggering remotely controlled charge at the moment the objective is passing | Operation cancelled by superior order | A 1 |
Rahal Saad | Meknes | April 57 | Sending a parcel bomb | Destruction of the objective and his family | R 1 |
Target | Location | Date | Means | Outcome | Result
|
Destruction of Tunisian barracks when they will be occupied by FLN | Tunisia | April 57 | Preparing barracks occupied by French troops for remote destruction months later at a large distance | Operation cancelled by superior order | A 1 |
Arms sale to FLN to arrest buyers | Lyon | April 57 | Establishing contact with intermediaries and delivering weapons | Arrest of interested party. Recovery of the arms and money resulting from sale | R 1 |
Arms dealers boat | Tanger | May 57 | Placement of an underwater charge by frogmen transported by boat | Destruction of Barra and Bruja Roja | R 1 |
Otto SCHLUTER | Hamburg | June 57 | Placement of a charge under his car | The mother of the objective is killed | R 2 |
TONNELOT | Oujda | June 57 | Placement of a charge on the terrace of the objective | His family is hit | R 2 |
LEOPOLD | Geneva | August 57 | Attacking the objective in the staircase of his apartment block | Weapon fails to fire at time of use | E |
Attack all vehicles heading for Tunisia | Lybia | August 57 | bling parachuting of a team preparing approach lights. Landing of a plane bringing a commando with autochthons – Take off after mission | Complete success on the technical plan but no vehicle encountered on the road | R 2 |
BOU ZIDIA | Rabat | August 57 | Attack in the street at night, suppressed firearm | Objective severely injured | R 2 |
Arms dealers boat | Tripoli | Sept. 57 | Placement of an underwater charge by frogmen transported by boat | Vittoria S. sunk in Sfax by the charge placed in Tripoli | R 1 |
LEOPOLD | Geneva | Sept. 57 | Attack of the objective in the staircase of his apartment block | Objective killed | R.1 |
OUAMRANE | Tunis | Sept. 57 | Attack using a remotely controlled charge | The operators are killed by a premature detonation of the charge [manuscript note] | E |
Finnish cargo | Atlantic | Oct. 57 | Placement of a charge by frogman | Objective sank in high seas | R 1 |
Target | Location | Date | Means | Outcome | Result
|
FLN explosives depot | Nador | Dec. 57 | Placement of a timed device by a commando transported by a fishing vessel | Objective entirely destroyed | R 1 |
Yugoslav cargo | Morocco | Dec. 57 | Placement of a charge by frogman | Operation cancelled by superior order | A 1 |
Yugoslav cargo | Morocco | Jan. 58 | Placement of a charge by frogman | Cargo inspected by French Navy | A 3 |
German cargo | Algeria | Jan. 58 | Placement in the hold of an incendiary to create a minor incident that can serve as a warning | Incident signalled to the Llyod | R 1 |
FLN training camp | Oriental Morocco | Feb. 58 | Low-altitude bombing by night by an unidentifiable plane, even by French military authorities | Objective partially hit | R 2 |
Egyptian cargo | Antwerp | March 58 | Placement of a charge by frogman | Placement is successful but the explosion did not take place because of an unknown cause, charge probably lost following a storm | E |
Destruction of a print shop serving the FLN | Fedala |
| In preparation | Waiting for the order to execute | P |
Burning down a garage used by the FLN | Fez |
| In preparation | Waiting for the order to execute | P |
Destruction of a FLN grenade factory | Nador |
| In preparation | Waiting for the order to execute | P |
Destruction of a FLN radio training centre | Nador |
| In preparation | Waiting for the order to execute | P |
JAZOULI Abdel Kafi | Meknes |
| In preparation | Waiting for the order to execute | P |
ORMA OULD BABANA | Rabat |
| In preparation | Waiting for the order to execute | P |
Target | Location | Date | Means | Outcome | Result
|
RUHLMAN | HAMBURG |
| In preparation | Waiting for the order to execute | P |
DRISS BEN SAID | Rabat |
| In preparation | Waiting for the order to execute | P |
Arms dealers boat | Mediterranean |
| In preparation | Waiting for the order to execute | P |
SUMMARY of the MISSIONS
30 operations attempted:
- 17 cancelled
- 8 by superior order
- 3 following security concern
- 6 by absence of the objective
- 17 accomplished
- 12 complete success
- 5 partial success
- 4 failures
- 3 following technical incident
- 1 by arrest of the operator, but no proof was left of the origin of the action
9 operations in preparation
KEY
R 1 = Complete success
R 2 = Partial success
A 1 = Cancelled by superior order
A 2 = Cancelled following security concern
A 3 = Cancelled due to absence of the objective
E = Failure
P = In preparation
[1] Translation by the author (the translation follows a literal approach, using the same spelling, wording and grammar than in the original document whenever possible).
List of 47 paramilitary actions conducted or planned by the French Service Action between January 1956 and Summer 1958.
Associated Topics
Subjects Discussed
Related Documents
August 1, 1958 | Note Relating to the Designation of an Objective |
Document Information
Source
Archives of the Secretary General of African and Malagasy Affairs and of the Community (AG/5(F)/318) (Fonds Foccart)
Original Archive
Rights
The History and Public Policy Program welcomes reuse of Digital Archive materials for research and educational purposes. Some documents may be subject to copyright, which is retained by the rights holders in accordance with US and international copyright laws. When possible, rights holders have been contacted for permission to reproduce their materials.
To enquire about this document's rights status or request permission for commercial use, please contact the History and Public Policy Program at [email protected].
Explore Related Resources
French Paramilitary Actions and the Algerian War of Independence
Newly released documents establish French responsibility for a series of controversial paramilitary operations, including assassinations and sabotage, during the Algerian War of Independence, writes Damien Van Puyvelde.