The World - News from May 31, 1988

French Defense Minister Jean-Pierre Chevenement conceded that some French soldiers exceeded their authority after storming a New Caledonia cave to rescue 21 gendarmes and a state prosecutor held hostage earlier this month. He also said he suspended the officer who was in charge of prisoners taken during the May 8 attack, which resulted in the deaths of 19 Kanak separatists and two soldiers. Among those killed on the island of Ouvea was the alleged ringleader of the kidnaping, Alphonse Dianou. Chevenement said an internal army investigation “does not show that there were any summary executions.”