Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-07-03
HEADLINE PERSONALITY
AIgerio's No. z Man:
Hord-Driving Rebel

PARIS, July 3 (AP).-Ahmed
Ben Bella taught the Algerian
guerrillaS what he learned from
the French in World War II
fighting that earned him four
citations for bravery and a dec
grafton for heroism under fire.
More than any other Alger-
ian Nationalist leader, the At
year-old deputy premier was
responsible for organizing the
rag-tag Moslem volunteers into
the guerrilla army that 100000
French soldiers couldn't con-
quer. In doing so he created a
loyal following among the rebel
fighters unmatched by any
other Nationalist leader.
Mr.. Ben Bella was born into
a family of farmers of Moroc-
can origin on Christmas Day
1915. In Marina, Oran Province,
in western Algeria. He had
little formal schooling before he
joined the French army in
World War II, but he rose
quickly through the ranks to
become a warrant officer Of q
hard-fighting Moroccan regi-
ment. He was decorated for
bravery during the italian cam
paign and was mustered out at
wars end at the age Of 20.
DisilIusioned In Peace
Though he served France
well In war, Mr.. Ben Bella
was quickly disillusioned with
France In peace. In quick sue
cession French authorities re-
Jected his bid for a post as
rural policeman and his moth
er's application for a state con-
cession for a tobacco shop.
The tall. athletic young man
plunged into. the clandestine
organizations that eventually
became the Moslems' National
Liberation Front (FLN.
He first headed a secret mill
tary faction of then legal po-
litical organization agitating
toward Algerian independence. |
A man of direct action, he soon
turned to holder deeds. In 1949
he and two other revolution
aries armed with revolvers held
up the Oran postoffice and
escaped with the equivalent Of
$4,000 for the rebel Golfers.
Captured in 1850, he was
sentenced to French prison in
Blada, Algeria. He escaped in
March, 1852, and made his way
to Cairo. He later settled in
Libya and there directed the
smuggling of arms to rebels in |
Algeria.
Leader in Uprising
He returned to Algeria and |
in 1854 helped lead the upris-
ing in the Aures Mountains |
that sounded the opening shots
of the 7la-year rebellion, but
his fighting days were num-
bered. In 1856, a French fighter
plane forced a chartered air
liner carrying MIN and four
other rebel ministers from Ra-
bat to Tunis to land in Algeria.
All five spent the rest of the |
rebellion in French prisons.
Even in prison, Mr.. Ben Bella
was a force to be reckoned with.
Through his Moroccan attor-
ney, he was able to keep in
close touch with rebel develop
ments and his counsel was
often sought. ...
His Imprisonment also made
him the hero and martyr of |
the revolution in the eyes of the
rank and file rebel fighters.
Mr.. Ben Bella's was the picture
most prominently displayed in
Nationalist homes. Neither |
Premier Youssef Ben Khedda |
nor his predecessor, middle
class pharmacist Ferhat Abbas,
could rival his personal magne-
tism and dramatic revolution
airy background.
Mr.. Ben Bella was such a |
dominant figure in the Nation
alist cause that the issue of his |
freedom often threatened to
wreck the French-Nationahstl
talks that finally led to the
cease-fire and independence &C.
cord at Evian. France, last
March.
Fight Resumed When Freed
Mr.. Ben Bella was freed, and
again began to fight. But this
time he waged his struggle
against the more moderate ele-
ments of the Nationalist lead
ership.
He soon made plain his dis
pleasure with the Eyian accord.
He announced opposition to
cooperation between independ-