MOROCCO: Et Tu, Oufkir?

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Later, Moroccan sources said that Oufkir's plan had been to kill not only the King but his heirs as well. The King's plane was to have been shot down over water, thus appearing to be an accident. What about the phone call at the airport control tower? Presumably at that point Oufkir had realized that his plot had failed and he ordered the jets to strafe the King on the ground.

The unsuccessful coup underscores the growing unpopularity of Hassan's regime. The King's appearance on movie screens evokes catcalls and gibes. Students brazenly parade donkeys labeled "King Hassan" through the streets. Charges abound of corruption in high places, authoritarianism and nepotism favoring an Arab elite in a predominantly Berber community. The military, which holds the only organized power in a country where factionalism among rival parties and labor unions has dissipated the political opposition, is demonstrably coup-happy. After the even bloodier attempt on his life last year, Hassan moved to initiate reforms. Obviously, he has not moved rapidly enough.