World Notes COMORO ISLANDS

Sandwiched in the Indian Ocean channel between Mozambique and Madagascar, the Comoro Islands (pop. 500,000) are known, if at all, for vanilla, cloves, ilang-ilang (an exotic flower used to make perfume) -- and occasionally political drama. Last week, after surviving three coup attempts during this decade alone, longtime President Ahmed Abdallah, 70, was assassinated in his palace.

The leading suspect is a Frenchman, Robert Denard, 62, head of a group of about 30 mercenaries who command the 500-member presidential guard. According to French press reports, Denard, desperate to foil Abdallah's plan to integrate the guard into the regular army, visited the palace with his deputy to persuade the President to change his mind. After the meeting turned violent, Denard or his deputy apparently shot Abdallah and then tried to frame a former army commander.