PRINCE’S BIG CLAIM

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, 24 November 1927, Page 9

PRINCE’S BIG CLAIM

ESCAPE FROM ASYLUM. INDEMNITY FOR WRONGFUL DETENTION. Prince Ahmed Seif ed Din, who two years ago escaped from a private asylum in Sussex, where he had been confined for wounding his brother-in-law, now King Fuad of Egypt, has been naturalised, as a Turkish subject. He is said to be preparing to claim from the British Government over £4,000,000, in respect of his estates, which ho alleged were sequestrated when he was taken from Egypt to England, says the Central News Agency. In September, 1925, Prince Ahmed disappeared with an attendant from St. Leonards, Sussex, and crossed to France, whence he returned to the Near East. Twenty-nine years ago he had heard stories of how his sister was treated by her husband,* and he fired a revolver at Prince Fuad, wounding him in the neck. He was then fined £lBOO and sentenced to seven years’ penal servitude (a term afterwards reduced to four years). After he had served two years he was removed to an Egyptian asylum. It was announced that imprisonment had made him insane. He was brought to England, and remained in an asylum for 25 years, despite appeals made by his mother, Princess Nowd Jnan Kanem, for his release. Before his arrest Prince Admed had estates yielding nearly £200,000 a year. Trusteeship of this property was reported to be taken over by the British Government when Ahmed was brought to England. Under the Treaty of Lausanne, 1924, it was provided that Turks living in Egypt might remain Turks if they returned to their native land within three years. Prince Ahmed has taken advantage of the treaty, and now becomes a fully naturalised Turkish subject. He seeks restitution and indemnity for wrongful -detention.