50 years ago today - Quebec TV personality busted for harebrained takedown attempt of America

   Here's the weird story of Quebec TV personality-turned terrorist Michelle Duclos.

   The tale starts when Michelle Saunier, a 30-year-old, French-born psychology teacher, who had recently visited Cuba, hosted a visit of two unidentified black males from New York who stayed at her apartment as of Jan. 30, 1965

   They were Robert Collier, leader of the Black Liberation Front and the ``brains'' behind the bomb plot and Ray Wood, who proved to be an undercover New York City policeman who had infiltrated the group.

   Duclos had a part time job at CFTM Channel 10. She was a tall, striking 28-year-old blonde and described in RCMP reports as ``a zealous and enthusiastic worker for the RIN,” a PQ forerunner led by Pierre Bourgault.

   The RCMP file said that Duclos' work relationship with Bourgault ended "For a variety of reasons, including her morals and irregularities regarding RIN funds.”

  After the Americans left, police continued to watch Saunier and Duclos. 

   On Feb. 15 Duclos took delivery of 68 sticks of dynamite and about 40 blasting caps.

   Duclos got the TNT from a RIN regional president Gilles Legault, 31. He worked as a typewriter repairman and president of the Laurier chapter of the RIN.

   The dynamite had been stolen from a Montreal subway project.

    "Legault thought that the dynamite would be used by a terrorist group in Quebec, and denied any knowledge of the plot to blow up monuments in the United States,'' his RCMP interrogators later reported.

   Duclos popped the TNT into a box and put it into the trunk of her Rambler. She picked up a pair of friends – who were both oblivious to her plans – and headed to New York City, with the RCMP on her tail.

   One of the passengers later said that she appeared relieved after passing the U.S. border.

When asked why, Duclos replied honestly."She answered in a sinister tone that she was carrying dynamite. As I was very much frightened, she said that it was a joke," said the friend. 

   Duclos dropped her friends off outside of New York City, hid a box of 30 sticks of TNT in a vacant lot in the Bronx and contacted the two men.

   Police then came to a home and arrested her, the two men as well as Walter  Bowe, a member of the Fair Play for Cuba Committee, and Khaleel Sayyed, a former engineering student.

    Bourgault distanced himself from his former protegee. ``We haven't seen her now for three months and we were wondering where she was,” Adding that Duclos “was always ready to attract attention in some dramatic way.'' The RIN, he added, had "absolutely no knowledge or interest'' in the conspiracy.”

   Four Montrealers were arrested for the dynamite theft:  Saunier, Legault and two others.

   Legault described himself as ``a citizen of the state of Quebec,'' and kept mum.  He was found hanging from his cell in Bordeaux Jail two months later.

    Two of the group eventually received minor sentences or probation. Saunier was acquitted.

   "For us, Gilles Legault died innocent,'' Bourgault told La Presse.  "Therefore, it is the death of a patriot that we deplore.''

   In New York, Duclos pleaded guilty and was sentenced to five years. The three Americans were convicted, getting sentences ranging from five years to 18 months.

   Duclos' sentence was later reduced to five-years' probation -- on the condition that she never return to the United States. She worked in television in Lebanon and Mexico and later returned to government jobs in Quebec, the last one given to her by Premier Landry.