In Search of Enemies - A CIA Story - John Stockwell

[226] IN SEARCH OF ENEMIES
Two days after that Roberto went to Sao Salvadore with three
mercenaries, including a Brit named Peter MacLeese and an unidentified
American, to deal with Cullen. They were met at the airstrip
by two mercenaries, one of them Cullen's sidekick. MacLeese
smashed one with a rifle butt, then stripped them both to the waist
and marched them into town, their hands over their heads. After a
summary court marital, the sidekick was found guilty of participating
in the execution of the fourteen. On the spot he was dealt the
same fate.
A few days later, fifteen other mercenaries commandeered a plane
and flew to Kinshasa, armed and angry, not at their comrade's
execution, but because they had not been paid. They were seeking
Roberto to take what they could by force. Fortunately they were met
at the airport by a CIA officer who reasoned with them and gave
reassurances, until they relinquished their weapons and calmed
down. Mobutu, always concerned for his own safety, kept aggressive
police and paracommando battalions in Kinshasa. He was particularly
sensitive about mercenaries, who, on previous occasions, had
not only rebelled against him but also had occupied the eastern
provincial capital of Bukavu. Whites are generally welcome in Kinshasa,
but they do not wisely go about brandishing weapons. Had
this band of mutineers blustered into downtown Kinshasa with a
show of arms, almost certainly a slaughter would have ensued.
As for George Cullen, he was captured by the MPLA. Three
months later he was tried and executed in Luanda.