WAR ON BANDITS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 53, Issue 153, 10 April 1933, Page 8

WAR ON BANDITS

ARABS IN PALESTINE. DEATH OF DARING LEADER. The reign of the Arab bandits on the Sinai-Palestine frontier was brought to an effectual end a short time ago when a British inspector of the Palestine Police shot the last remaining member of the gang after a protracted rifle duel. In the year 1920, as one of the aftermaths of the war, a gang of Arab desperadoes appeared on the Sinai-Pales-tine frontier between Kosseima and Rafa and for some seven years terrorised the whole area, holding up and robbing passing merchants —shooting on sight when any resistance was offered. The Sinai Camel Corps and Palestine Police made many concerted attacks on the gang, but with no success, as whenever reprisals were contemplated the party broke up and scattered into Trans-Jordan and the Hedjaz, reforming when the coast was clear. In 1925 a patrol of seven men of the Palestine Police succeeded in capturing one of the gang, but during the night they were surrounded by the remainder, assisted by many of the local Arabs, and a battle took place in which three policemen were killed and. two wounded. Concerted operations by the two Governments after this resulted in the capture of most of the' party, some of whom were executed, while others were sentenced to long terms of imprisonment. Finally, only one man, Eid Sanie, the leader of the gang, remained at large, and he swore that he would never be taken alive. He was a fine shot with a,rifle and possessed a grey mare remarkable for her .speed and endurance and he.managed to escape on several occasions when the police had practically surrounded him. Eventually information was brought into Beersheba that he was staying with some Arabs in a lonely tent on the Sinai-Palestine frontier and British Inspector Leaves set out in a car, having arranged for mounted patrols to make encircling movement. The inspector drove up to within 70 yajris of the tent, when Eid Sanie rushed out, fired point blank at the car and then attempted to mount his mare. Leaves returned the fire and the mare dropped dead. Eid Sanie then rushed to some rocks and, crouching behind coyer, opened fire on Leaves, who was lying in the open. The bullets struck the sand in front of his face several times, but the inspector reserved his lire till Eid LSanie incautiously showed his head, then, with a well-aimed shot in the centre of the forehead, killed his man instantqneously. . The death of this bandit has effectually cleaned up the uncertain situation on the frontier that was bound to exist so long as the leader of the desperadoes was still at large. The inspector of police has been rewarded with the British Police medal.