Jean-Jacques Susini
Encyclopedia
Jean-Jacques Susini is a political figure and cofounder of the Organisation de l'armée secrète (OAS), a far-right organization opposing Algerian independence from France.
and Joseph Ortiz were responsible for the journée des barricades ("day of the barricades") in Algiers.
In 1960 he was detained at La Santé Prison
in Paris. In the prison he was visited by Jean-Marie Le Pen
. He took advantage of his parole to escape to Spain (with Pierre Lagaillarde
, Jean-Maurice Demarquet, Marcel Ronda and Fernand Féral Lefevre), where he joined Raoul Salan
and founded the OAS with him and Pierre Lagaillarde
on 3 December 1960. He was responsible for psychological action and propaganda (APP). After the arrest of Raoul Salan
in April 1962, Susini became the head of the OAS for Algiers and Constantine.
In June 1962, he brokered an (ultimately failed) agreement with the FLN
.
Beginning in 1962, he hid for 5 years in Italy under a false identity.
During this time he was wanted in France for various attempts to assassinate Charles de Gaulle
(in particular the one of 15 August 1964, near the "Mont Faron" in Toulon
) and for his role in the OAS. He was twice condemned to death in absentia.
He benefited from an amnesty in 1968 by Charles de Gaulle
and returned to France.
In 1970 he was imprisoned for 16 months. In 1972 he was imprisoned again for 2 years. He was believed to be responsible for the disappearance of colonel Raymond Gorel (alias "Cimeterre"), the former cashier of the OAS. Again he benefited from an amnesty by the government by François Mitterrand
.
He is a member of National Front (France). In 1999 he was elected a member of the European Parliament
. He has authored a history of the OAS, but only the first volume (covering the period May to July 1961) has been published.
Life
In 1959, he was head of the student association in Algiers. In January 1960 he, Pierre LagaillardePierre Lagaillarde
Pierre Lagaillarde was French politician, and a founder of the Organisation armée secrète .Lagaillarde was a lawyer at Blida in Algeria, a reserve officer of the paratroopers, and an elected deputy of Algiers...
and Joseph Ortiz were responsible for the journée des barricades ("day of the barricades") in Algiers.
In 1960 he was detained at La Santé Prison
La Santé Prison
La Santé Prison is a prison operated by the Ministry of Justice located in the 14th arrondissement of Paris, France. It is one of the most famous prisons in France, with both VIP and high security wings....
in Paris. In the prison he was visited by Jean-Marie Le Pen
Jean-Marie Le Pen
Jean-Marie Le Pen is a French far right-wing and nationalist politician who is founder and former president of the Front National party. Le Pen has run for the French presidency five times, most notably in 2002, when in a surprise upset he came second, polling more votes in the first round than...
. He took advantage of his parole to escape to Spain (with Pierre Lagaillarde
Pierre Lagaillarde
Pierre Lagaillarde was French politician, and a founder of the Organisation armée secrète .Lagaillarde was a lawyer at Blida in Algeria, a reserve officer of the paratroopers, and an elected deputy of Algiers...
, Jean-Maurice Demarquet, Marcel Ronda and Fernand Féral Lefevre), where he joined Raoul Salan
Raoul Salan
Raoul Albin Louis Salan was a French Army general and the fourth French commanding general during the First Indochina War. Salan was one of four generals who organized the 1961 Algiers Putsch operation and then founded the Organisation de l'armée secrète....
and founded the OAS with him and Pierre Lagaillarde
Pierre Lagaillarde
Pierre Lagaillarde was French politician, and a founder of the Organisation armée secrète .Lagaillarde was a lawyer at Blida in Algeria, a reserve officer of the paratroopers, and an elected deputy of Algiers...
on 3 December 1960. He was responsible for psychological action and propaganda (APP). After the arrest of Raoul Salan
Raoul Salan
Raoul Albin Louis Salan was a French Army general and the fourth French commanding general during the First Indochina War. Salan was one of four generals who organized the 1961 Algiers Putsch operation and then founded the Organisation de l'armée secrète....
in April 1962, Susini became the head of the OAS for Algiers and Constantine.
In June 1962, he brokered an (ultimately failed) agreement with the FLN
National Liberation Front (Algeria)
The National Liberation Front is a socialist political party in Algeria. It was set up on November 1, 1954 as a merger of other smaller groups, to obtain independence for Algeria from France.- Anticolonial struggle :...
.
Beginning in 1962, he hid for 5 years in Italy under a false identity.
During this time he was wanted in France for various attempts to assassinate Charles de Gaulle
Charles de Gaulle
Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle was a French general and statesman who led the Free French Forces during World War II. He later founded the French Fifth Republic in 1958 and served as its first President from 1959 to 1969....
(in particular the one of 15 August 1964, near the "Mont Faron" in Toulon
Toulon
Toulon is a town in southern France and a large military harbor on the Mediterranean coast, with a major French naval base. Located in the Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur region, Toulon is the capital of the Var department in the former province of Provence....
) and for his role in the OAS. He was twice condemned to death in absentia.
He benefited from an amnesty in 1968 by Charles de Gaulle
Charles de Gaulle
Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle was a French general and statesman who led the Free French Forces during World War II. He later founded the French Fifth Republic in 1958 and served as its first President from 1959 to 1969....
and returned to France.
In 1970 he was imprisoned for 16 months. In 1972 he was imprisoned again for 2 years. He was believed to be responsible for the disappearance of colonel Raymond Gorel (alias "Cimeterre"), the former cashier of the OAS. Again he benefited from an amnesty by the government by François Mitterrand
François Mitterrand
François Maurice Adrien Marie Mitterrand was the 21st President of the French Republic and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra, serving from 1981 until 1995. He is the longest-serving President of France and, as leader of the Socialist Party, the only figure from the left so far elected President...
.
He is a member of National Front (France). In 1999 he was elected a member of the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
. He has authored a history of the OAS, but only the first volume (covering the period May to July 1961) has been published.
Sources
- Clément Steuer: Susini et l'OAS. l'Harmattan, Paris 2004, ISBN 2-7475-6762-1
- Henri Pouillot: La villa Susini. Tortures en Algerie. Edition Tirésias, Paris 2001, ISBN 2-908527-88-X
- Jean-Jacques Susini: Histoire de l’O.A.S. Edition de la Table Ronde, Paris 1963.
- Rearguard Action for Terror Time magazine, 29 June 1962