WRECKED TRUCK; TROOPS GURAD AREA; CROWDS AROUND WRECK; BARBED WIRE FIXED AROUND ARMY HEADQUARTERS; TROOPS PATROL STREETS.




Initials RC/V/JH/SGM



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: THE OUSTED CHIEF MINISTER OF ADEN, MR ASDUL MACKAWEE, SAID IN CAIRO TODAY (THURSDAY) THAT CIVIL SERVANTS IN ADEN HAD BEEN THREATENED WITH DISMISSAL AND IMPRISONMENT IS THEY JOINED NEXT SATURDAY'S 24-HOUR GENERAL STRIKE.

BOTH THE ADEN TRADES UNION CONGRESS AND THE EGYPTIAN-SPONSORED NATIONAL FRONT FOR LIBERATION OF THE OCCUPIED SOUTH HAVE CALLED OR THE STRIKE.

A FEW DAYS EARLIER, AND ARAB WAS KILLED WHEN A VEHICLE LADEN WITH EXPLOSIVES BLEW UP IN THE HARBOUR AREA OF ADEN.

ADEN HAS BEEN TRIGGER-TENSE FOLLOWING THE SUSPENSION OF THE CONSTITUTION, DISMISSAL OF THE MACKAWEE GOVERNMENT AND THE ASSUMPTION OF DIRECT RULE BY SIR RICHARD TURNBULL, BRITISH HIGH COMMISSIONER.

MR MACKAWEE IS NOW IN CAIRO ON HIS WAY TO PUT HIS ADMINISTRATION'S CASE BEFORE THE UNITED NATIONS.

ADEN WAS ROCKED SEVERAL DAYS BEFORE HIS DEPARTURE BY A BLAST WHICH TORE A PART A THREE-TON TRUCK OUTSIDE A CHURCH.

ACCORDING TO ONE REPORT, ALL THAT WAS LEFT OF THE DRIVER WAS "A CHUNK OF FLESH."
ONE OF THE TRUCK'S FENDERS WAS TOSSED INTO A NEARBY NAVAL YARD, BUT NOBODY WAS HURT. OTHER WRECKAGE WAS SCATTERED OVER A 200-YARD AREA, WHILE THE ROOF AND WINDOWS OF A NEARBY BUILDING WERE ALSO DAMAGED.

A DRIVING LICENCE FOUND IN THE WRECKAGE IDENTIFIED THE DEAD MAN AS SAEED SABRI. ACCORDING TO ADEN AUTHORITIES, HE'D RETURNED RECENTLY FROM THE YEMEN WHERE HE'D BEEN IMPRISONED FOR THREE WEEKS.

SECURITY OFFICIALS LATER ACCUSED YEMENI REPUBLICAN AUTHORITIES OF FREEING SABRI FROM RAISON ON CONDITION THAT HE CARRY EXPLOSIVES TO ADEN AND USE THEM IN TERRORIST ACTIVITIES.

ALTHOUGH THE DUSK-TO-DAWN CURFEW HAS NOW BEEN LIFTER IN ALL BUT THREE FLASHPOINT AREAS OF ADEN, BRITISH TROOPS ARE ON CONSTANT PATROL TO CURB ANY RECURRENCE OF VIOLENCE.

THE HEADQUARTERS OF THE FEDERAL ARMY HAS BEEN HEAVILY BARRICADED WITH BARBED WIRE.