Office of the Historian

65. Central Intelligence Agency Intelligence Information Cable1

IN 1461052
Washington, October 24, 1978

COUNTRY

  • Algeria/USSR

SUBJECT

  • (1) Medical Evacuation of Algerian President Houari Boumediene to Moscow in Comatose State in Early October 1978.
  • (2) Minister of Interior Mohamed Benahmed Abdelghani Designated Acting Chief of State by Boumediene Prior Boumediene’s Evacuation to Moscow [less than 1 line not declassified]

SOURCE

  • [4 lines not declassified]

1. [1 line not declassified] President Houari Boumediene was medically evacuated from Algiers Maillot Military Hospital to Moscow in early October 1978 in a comatose state and on “the verge of death”. Several days previously, Boumediene, realizing he was seriously ill, convened the Council of the Revolution and designated Minister of Interior Mohamed Benahmed Abdelghani to act as head of state in his absence. Abdelghani has been acting in this capacity since the President’s departure.

2. Boumediene, [less than 1 line not declassified], had returned to Algiers from Damascus in a state of extreme fatigue, nervousness, and depression. On or about 27 September, the President became seriously ill and was taken to Algiers Maillot Military Hospital for diagnosis and treatment. ([less than 1 line not declassified] Comment: [less than 1 line not declassified] did not specify the nature or symptoms of the President’s illness).

3. Probably realizing that his physical condition was continuing to deteriorate, Boumediene convoked a meeting of the Council of the Revolution. The meeting, in late September or very early October, was attended by Abdelghani; Abdelaziz Bouteflika, Minister of Foreign Affairs; Ahmed Draia, Minister of Transport; Tayebi Larbi, Minister of Agriculture and Agrarian Reform; Ahmed Ben Cherif, Minister of Hydraulics; Mohamed Salah Yahaoui, Chief of the National Liberation Front (FLN); Colonel Benjedid Chadli, Commander of the Second (Oran) Military Region; and Colonel Abdallah Belhouchet, Commander [Page 175] of the First (Blida) Military Region. [less than 1 line not declassified] Boumediene as telling the assembled Council members, “I am very sick. I am leaving and I leave it to you to take care of the governing of Algeria”. The President then specifically designated Abdelghani to act as head of state during his absence.

4. Boumediene was medically evacuated to Moscow by air in a comatose state in early October 1978. [less than 1 line not declassified] Boumediene was gravely ill and “on the verge of death”. Since Boumediene’s departure, Abdelghani has shown no hesitation in acting like a head of state or giving orders to other high-ranking government leaders. Ahmed Ben Cherif and Mohamed Salah Yahaoui are acting as Abdelghani’s principal advisors and supporters.

5. ([less than 1 line not declassified] Comment: [less than 1 line not declassified] all members of the Council of the Revolution are believed to be in Algeria, with the exception of Bouteflika. Colonel Slimane Hoffman, Presidential Advisor and Chief of the FLN Commission for International Relations, is also out of the country.)

6. ([less than 1 line not declassified] Comment: [5 lines not declassified] criticized the government’s failure to inform the Algerian people about the President’s illness, describing news releases about Boumediene’s alleged talks in Moscow as “ridiculous”).

7. [1 line not declassified]

8. [less than 1 line not declassified] Dissem: [3 lines not declassified]

  1. Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Middle East, Subject File, Box 1, Algeria: 1–12/78. Secret; Immediate; [handling restriction not declassified].↩