European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - February 11, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 9wednesday, february it. 1987 a French police Marksman stands Natch during a siege Al a Marseille France bunk ii ii r f unit ii held 23 people hostage. All but two of lit were unharmed. Bank robbers flee through underground tunnels Marseille France a armed gangsters who had been holding 23 hos tages in a Marseille Bank for 11 hours fled through underground tunnels Mon Day evening leaving their hostages unharmed. Crack French police squads who had slaked out the Small savings Bank building during negotiations with the gangsters rushed into the building when the hostages should thai the gangsters had left. For 30 minutes on the gangsters or Ders they had been lapping on the Walls o make police think the gang was still opening Strong boxes when they had in tact fled. An unconfirmed television report said three of he gang were believed to have been arrested while fleeing. Other reports Aid members of the gang apparently broke into the Bank underground during the weekend and started opening hundreds of the 2,500 Strong boxes. All bul to of inc hostages 12 employees and 11 customers were reported unharmed. A Bank guard was hospitalized for head wounds when a robber Pis Tol whipped him after he forced his Way into the Bank Early monday morning and an elderly client was treated for Shock and fatigue. One hostage the building janitor escaped during the afternoon because of his knowledge of the building. In was still not Clear monday evening How the gang escaped and whether Mem Bers managed to Sake the Booty with them. National City police director Robert Broussand creator of one of the special police intervention units said the out come was not a failure because the hos tages arc Safe and sound. Bui i Dott l understand How they could gel out of a strongroom so  France begins reinforcing its troops in Chad Paris a less than a week after Libya s Moa mar Qadhafi advised France to tiptoe out of Chad France began reinforcing its support troops there in expectation of wha Many believe will be 3new libyan offensive. The defense ministry acknowledged monday that France had begun moving in up to 1,000 new troops from the neighbouring Central african Republic Butil said France s Mission remained the same air defense surveillance and counter blows if needed. President his Sene Habre s government in Ndjamena says Libya has doubled its presence in Northern Chad from about 10,000 men to 20,000. There was no Independent verification of that figure. Western sources said 20,000 appeared an exaggeration but there was no doubt thai the number of libyans in creased Well beyond the 10,000 men estimated As re a Cully As last month. Chad a former French Colony became Independent in i960, France and the United states have poured military equipment into Chad to help Habric Slop what they see As Libya s expansionist plans in Africa. Habre wants even More help including direct French air sup port. France intervened in Chad with 1,400 troops in february 1986, backed up by another 2,500 men in the Central african Republic it has said it will not get directly involved in fighting in Chad unless the libyans move South of the red line at the i Din parallel dividing Chad into libyan occupied North and govern ment controlled South. Qadhafi insists the fighting is Between c Hud ians and no libyan troops Are involved. The latest phase began last fall when Libya with Drew ils support from rebel Leader go Ukini ouch Deye and started backing a minor chieftain Cheikh Ibn Omar. On dec. 11, the libyans began an Offen Sive into the Northern Tiberti mountains to subdue go Ukini fighters who had rallied to the Ndjamena government. Since then Habre s forces have reported victories Over inc libyans around Zoar and a stunning rout of the libyans and Omar s troops at Fada on Jan. 2. Go Ukini reported under House arrest in Tripoli since last fall after an unexplained shootout with libyan soldiers arrived unannounced in inc algerian capital sunday chadian embassy sources in Algiers said. Co Ukini s doings there went unreported. The sources who demanded anonymity said Libya May want to refute reports he was being held against his will. The chadian and Western observers believe Gad Hafi is reinforcing his troops in Northern Chad for i counterattack on Fada. Tie French say thai their Basic Mission in Chad is unchanged but Hal the additional forces from bases in Bangui and boar give French troops a Ater flexibility. The defense ministry snid the number of French troops in Chad is not fixed up la now 1,200 French troops have been based mainly Al Ndjamena Airport and manned aircraft radar and air defense batteries. About 200 French troops Are Al Mous Soro 150 mites to the Northeast a few dozen French mostly medical teams and mechanics arc Al Kalail just South of the red line. Under the new deployment the French will Sel up radar and missile installations Al Abc Chc 125 Miles South of inc red line and Oil Tine 80 Miles South of the line. While France says ils presence is purely defensive in forces stand ready to attack if needed. French air Craft struck Isicc Al the libyan Airfield at Ouadi Doum in Northern Chad in response to attacks below the 16th parallel. President Denis Sassou Ngu Esso of the Congo who also is president of the organization of african Unity arrived in Paris on a slate visit earning a peace plan for Chad. In Calls for a cease fire Mutual withdrawal of French and libyan troops and reconciliation among chadian plus a Franco libyan Mcewing. The Ndjamena government rejected inc plan and France viewed in without enthusiasm. The chadian believe an end to inc conflict requires a settlement directly Between Libya and Chad. France s position is Hal its troops Are in Chad Al govern Mem request and the libyans arc the invaders. Qadhafi in an interview Las week with the newspaper la Munde said charges of libyan troops in Chad were vulgar rumours wild no  "1 Hope thai our French friends Are going to pull out on ii plot she added. If they want id gel bogged Down they have Only