Execution
During his capture, Marcel Bigeard refused the use of torture under his custody and instead, questioned Ben M'hidi's tactics over a two week period. General Jacques Massu, was annoyed with the ongoing dialogue, and decided to send Major Paul Aussaresses, a more ruthless officer. On the tenth day, March 4, 1957, Bigeard was forced to agree to "Ben M'hidi being transferred to another prision for administrative reasons". The services of Massu's special branch took over, under Major Paul Aussaresses. Bigeard's paratroopers presented their arms in a send-off with full military honors during the transfer of custody. Ben M'hidi was tortured and then executed by the French Special Services while in Aussaresses's custody. Ben M’hidi was driven to an isolated farm, 18 kilometres to the south of Algiers, where he was hanged “to make it look like suicide". On March 6, 1957, Pierrre Gorlin Lacoste's press officer announced that Ben M'hidi "had committed suicide by hanging himself with strips of material torn from his shirt". His body was later transferred to a hospital in Algiers.
Although Aussaresses had Ben M'hidi handcuffed and hanged in a manner that would suggest suicide, the truth was inevitable, as it wasn't in Ben M'hidi's character or beliefs to commit suicide at any stage in life or war. General Aussaresses admitted in 2000 the use of torture during the war and sought to justify it. He also recognized the assassination of lawyer Ali Boumendjel and of Ben M'Hidi. General Bigeard said he had respect for Ben M'Hidi and that he regretted his death. According to Roger Trinquier, Ben M'hidi was not tortured "I know that all of you think we tortured him to death, but we did not" however, he acknowledged that he was murdered after several shots were fired at him "We shot him to death, but we gave him a guard of honor before we shot him". He gave his reasons for murdering Ben M'hidi as "Because Ben M'hidi was a leader". However, Trinquier had regretted his death declaring "I didn't want to shoot him. I had never met anyone like that." and spoke of Ben M'hidi with high respect "I would have liked to see him as le président de la France. So, once I was ordered to shoot him, I gave him a guard of honor first.". However, Aussaresses confessions in 2000, seem to contradict those of Trinquier.
Read more about this topic: Larbi Ben M'hidi, Capture
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