DE GAULLE AND HIS
A
factual account of
MURDERERS
of contemporary history
ANTHONY GIBBS & PHILLIPS
JOACHIM JOESTEN
TIMES PRESS
••
a
dramatic piece
the latter at the Court of Appeal, whereas the sentences of of sentences the whereas Appeal, of Court the at latter the
court was in the truest sense of the phrase a matter of life life of matter a phrase the of sense truest the in was court The new court was to begin functioning on 25th February. February. 25th on functioning begin to was court new The
the Military Court were final. final. were Court Military the whether their case would be conducted entirely before the the before entirely conducted be would case their whether
and death. An appeal can be lodged against the sentences of of sentences the against lodged be can appeal An death. and Military Court or would be transferred from it to the new new the to it from transferred be would or Court Military
not, however, be legally established until 15th January, 1963. 1963. January, 15th until established legally be however, not,
the Military Court. Court. Military the
judicature, the composition and competence of which could could which of competence and composition the judicature,
expectation was not sentenced to death on 23rd May, 1962, 1962, May, 23rd on death to sentenced not was expectation Organisation, General Raoul Salan, who contrary to to contrary who Salan, Raoul General Organisation,
other O.A.S. terrorists. Directly after the case against the the against case the after Directly terrorists. O.A.S. other
but merely to penal servitude for life, a new order dissolved dissolved order new a life, for servitude penal to merely but try the generals involved in the revolt in Algiers, and then then and Algiers, in revolt the in involved generals the try
action brought before the Supreme Military Court. Court. Military Supreme the before brought action
leader of the revolt and Supreme Chief of the Secret Army Army Secret the of Chief Supreme and revolt the of leader
is so often unpredictable in France. The case against against case The France. in unpredictable often so is
Bastien-Thiry and his companions was, in fact, the last last the fact, in was, companions his and Bastien-Thiry
powers conferred on it by Parliament. Its purpose was to to was purpose Its Parliament. by it on conferred powers
expectancy was the interplay of politics and justice, which which justice, and politics of interplay the was expectancy by President de Gaulle's Government by virtue of the special special the of virtue by Government Gaulle's de President by
22nd August, 1962, had made an almost successful attempt attempt successful almost an made had 1962, August, 22nd
on President de Gaulle's life in the suburb of Petit-Clamart, Petit-Clamart, of suburb the in life Gaulle's de President on to the south of the capital. capital. the of south the to
hall of Fort-Neuf at Vincennes, near Paris, of the eagerly eagerly the of Paris, near Vincennes, at Fort-Neuf of hall awaited case against the group of assailants who, ' on on ' who, assailants of group the against case awaited
1963, the great court drama of Vincennes, which had held held had which Vincennes, of drama court great the 1963,
all France in suspense for five weeks, came to an end. end. an to came weeks, five for suspense in France all
lU lU
For the defendants at Vincennes the question as to to as question the Vincennes at defendants the For
Its place was to be taken by a Supreme Court of of Court Supreme a by taken be to was place Its
That Military Court had been set up on 27th April, 1961, 1961, April, 27th on up set been had Court Military That
One of the main reasons for this atmosphere of tense tense of atmosphere this for reasons main the of One
The 28th of January had marked the opening in the great great the in opening the marked had January of 28th The