“POLITICAL FLURRY” IN SYRIA

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24899, 12 June 1946, Page 7

“POLITICAL FLURRY” IN SYRIA

“The Syrian authorities have ordered security officials to scrutinise travellers’ documents more closely,*’ said the Damascus correspondent of Associated Press. “The Grand Mufti’s, escape. from Paris has caused a political flurry in Syria. There is no confirmation of the report that the Grand Mufti has reached Damascus.” The British Legation in Damascus denied that the Grand Mufti had landed in a British aeroplane. A Legation spokesman said that no British aeroplane of an? description arrived at Damascus on Saturday or Sunday, with the exception of the aeroplane linking Bagdad and Cairo. Reuter’s correspondent at Bludan (near Damascus) says it is reliably reported that the Grand Mufti had been expected at Damascus for some time. A house had been made ready for him. 1

The Syrian Government officially has no knowledge of the Grand Mufti • arrival. The passenger list of the only British aircraft which landed at Damascus on Monday, when scrutinised, showed that the only travellers were bona flde. In New York Dr. Stephen Wise, president of the American Jewish Congress. said in a speech that he had undisguised contempt for the British and French Governments for “conniving at or at least sanctioning," the Grand Mufti’s flight from France to Syria. He said the Mufti was a comrade of Hitler, Goebbels and Goering and now had his way clear to renew his crimes against the Jewish people while 10,000 Jews remained in Germany as dlsBlaced8 laced persons. Dr. Wise demanded lat the Council of Foreign Ministers grant the Jews the status of a nation when it was reconvened.