[2] He later became a member of the military wing of a pro-independence secret society, and participated in a mail operation in Oran in 1950.

[2] After the dissolution of the Revolutionary Committee of Unity and Action on 5 July 1954, Zabana was commissioned by Larbi Ben M'hidi to prepare for the revolution by obtaining weapons and personnel.

Zabana's tasks were to structure revolutionary forces and train them, and also to visit strategic locations to choose places that could be made centers of revolution.

At a meeting on October 30, 1954, chaired by Ben M'hidi, the organizers of the revolution determined that it would begin with a series of attacks on the night of November 1.

The following day, October 31st, Zabana met with his units and assigned specific targets as well as a rendezvous point on Jabal al-Qada.