THE FIVE MEN LEAVING A PRISON VAN, M. ABDELKADAR BEN BARKA WITH NEWSMEN, AND SUITCASE BEING PUT IN VAN.


1.
LV.PALAIS DE JUSTICE IN PARIS
0.05

2.
LV.PRISON VAN IN YARD
0.09

3.
LV.PRISONERS OUT OF VAN
0.25

4.
MV.MAN WALKING ALONG STREET
0.30

5.
MV.BEN BARKA'S BROTHER WITH LAWYERS
0.34

6.
CU.DITTO
0.37

7.
PANNING SHOT OF BUILDING
0.42

8.
CU.MAN CARRYING SUITCASE PAST
0.49

9.
CU.SUITCASES PUT IN VAN
0.52



Initials DE/RTF--TR/BHH/JG



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: FIVE MEN, ALL OF THEM ACCUSED OF INVOLVEMENT IN THE BEN BARKA KIDNAPPING CASE, CAME FACE TO FACE TODAY (THURSDAY) IN THE OFFICE OF THE INVESTIGATING JUDGE, M. LOUIS ZOLLINGER. THE OFFICE IS IN THE PALAIS DE JUSTICE IN PARIS. AFTERWARDS, BEN BARKA'S BROTHER SPOKE TO NEWSMEN ABOUT THE MEETING.

THE FIVE PRISONERS WERE PRESENT AT THE OPENING IN THE JUDGE'S OFFICE OF THE SEALED BELONGINGS OF THE DEAD GANGSTER, GEORGES FIGON -- WHO HAD BEEN SOUGHT AS A KEY WITNESS IN THE INVESTIGATION.

THE POSSESSIONS INCLUDED A TAPE-RECORDING, WHICH IT WAS THOUGHT MIGHT BE ONE HE IS SAID TO HAVE MADE ALLEGING HE SAW BEN BARKA TORTURED BY THE MOROCCAN INTERIOR MINISTER, GENERAL MOHAMMED OUFKIR AND THEN DIE. BUT WHEN THE TAPE-RECORDING WAS PLAYED IT WAS FOUND TO CONSIST OF NOTHING BUT THE SOUNDTRACK OF A THRILLER FILM.

THE FIVE ARRESTED MEN ARE ANTOINE LOPEZ, AN AIRLINE OFFICIAL, LOUIS SICHON, THE HEAD OF THE FRENCH NARCOTICS SQUAD, ROGER VOITEAU -- HIS ASSISTANT, PHILIPPINE BERNIER, A JOURNALIST, AND EL GHALI EL MALI, A MOROCCAN STUDENT WHO IS RELATED TO GENERAL OUFKIR.

MEANWHILE, RELATIONS BETWEEN MOROCCO AND FRANCE HAVE CONTINUED TO DETERIORATE. FRANCE HAS CHARGED MOROCCO WITH FAILING TO HELP CLEAR UP THE MYSTERY SURROUNDING THE DISAPPEARANCE OF THE MOROCCAN LEFT-WING LEADER, KIDNAPPED IN A PARIS STREET ALMOST THREE MONTHS AGO. MOROCCO CHARGES FRANCE WITH BEHAVING DISGRACEFULLY OVER THE AFFAIR AND PROCLAIMS GENERAL OUFKIR'S INNOCENCE. BOTH COUNTRIES HAVE WITHDRAWN THEIR AMBASSADORS.