REMARKS OF HABIB BOURGUIBA CONCERNING POSSIBLE TERROR CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE FRENCH IN NORTH AFRICA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00457R002400540009-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: November 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 10, 1998
• Sequence Number: 9
• Publication Date: March 28, 1949
• Content Type: REPORT

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11 Habib Bourguiba, leader of the Neo-Destourian Party of Tunisia, presently
directing the Tunisian resistance movement from Cairo, in a conversation
with source on 7 February 1949, expressed the opinion that the only way
in which Tunisia, Algeria and French Morocco could hope to obtain
independence was by a campaign of terrorism and sabotage directed against
thejFrench administration:. Such a campaign would demonstrate to the
western powers that in the event of a war with the Soviet Union, there
could be no peace and security for their bases in North Africa under
French control. This, he hoped, might cause them to put pressure upon
France to institute reforms and grant eventual independence.
2. Bourguiba said that the French administration in North Africa was unwilling
to yield anything to the natives. Its purpose was to crush them and
assimilate North Africa into metropolitan Franca. At the end of the war,
he himself had offered to give France a pre-eminent position, military
bases. even an army. based. in Tunis if she liked. He had asked only that
the French let the Tunisians govern themselves and work toward independence.
This proposal the 1,)-anch rejected.
3. Bourguiba expressed the hope that Great Britain would retain control of
Cyrenaic& and not give it back to Italy. The Italians, he said, are
worse colonial administrators than the French. If the British were in
Cyrenaiea the promoters of North African independence would have a depot
from which to operate against the French.
40 The Arab League does not offer much hope at the present time,, Bourguiba
believes. It devoted all its attention to Palestine and failed. It can
now give little effective support to the oause of North African independence.*
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Comment. Habib Bourguiba reportedly has been approached on
several occasions by the Russians in connection with a possible revolt.
His statements have not indicated, however, that a campaign of terror
and sabotage is :tmmin t or has progressed beyond the early planning
stage.
STATE
ARA1Y
North Africa
DATE DISTR.
28 Liar 1949
Remarks of Habib Bourguiba Concerning Possible
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Terror Campaign Against the French in North
Africa
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DDA Memo, 4 Apr 77
Approved For Release 1999/09/09: CIA-RDP82-00l16'Ir 0Z0p2n17
Date: 4 MAY 1978 By: