EGYPTIAN LEADER ASSASSINATED

Press, Volume LXXXI, Issue 24501, 26 February 1945, Page 5

EGYPTIAN LEADER ASSASSINATED

Death in Parliament

Building SEQUEL TO WAR STATEMENT

(N.Z. Press Association— Copyright) (Rec. 9.50 p.m.) LONDON. Feb. 24. The Egyptian Prime Minister (Ahmed Maher) was shot dead, in Parliament to-day after making a statement to bring Egypt into defensive war against the Axis. . Reuter’s Cairo correspondent reports that the Prime Minister was leaving the Chamber of Deputies when press photographers asked him to pose. He stopped and the assassin stepped from behind a photographer and fired five shots. . . Ahmed Maher fell to the ground and then rose momentarily in an effort to grapple with the assassin, but he collapsed and died. Bystanders seized the assassin.

The Prime Minister’s death put an end to debates on Egypt’s entry into the war, which were going on in both chambers. The Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies announced through loudspeakers that everyone in the building must leave'through.one exit and be subjected to the most stringent search.

Strong forces of police and troops marched into the Parliament building after the shooting, and large crowds gathered about the gates, but they were quiet and seemed thunderstruck. Ahmed Maher, who conferred with Mr Churchill last week, was very popular with all sections of the Egyptian community. He was a genial, shrewd politician heading a Coalitiop Government. His task lately had been made more difficult as the result of opposition from the Wafdist Nationalists to Egypt’s entry into the war. The Wafdists, under the presidency of thp former Prime Minister (Nahas Pasha) had mat to-day and decided to communicate their opposition to the war to King Farouk, to Britain, the United States, and Russia. They contended tnat there was no point in declaring war when the country was no longer threatened and European hostilities were Ijkely to end at any time. The assassin is known to be an extremist.

Assassin Almost Lynched ‘‘Ahmed Maher was assassinated after a secret session of the Egyptian Parliament while walking from the Chamber of Deputies to the- Senate. He was holding in his hand Egypt’s declaration of war on Germany and Japan signed by King Farouk,*’ reports the Cairo correspondent of the Associated Press. “The Prime Minister’s daughter was present in the Chamber of Deputies. She fought her way to where her father had fallen and then was overcome with hysteria ahd collapsed herself. Two eminent surgeons were at Ahmed Maher’s side in a few minutes, but he was past help and was bleeding heavily from his wounds. He died within half an hour, but not before King Farouk; who had been immediately notified had hurried to the scene. The 23-year-old assailant, who was almost lynched by the crowd, made no attempt to escape.” The assassin was stripped of, his trousers before the police interrogation began. He confessed he had committed the act because of his extremist feelings. Other men who were sitting with him before the shooting took place were also arrested.

The Egyptian Government has issued 1 the following statement; "First Intimations show that the assassin was interned for some time under the former Nahas Pasha Administration. He is considered to be pro-Axis. It is understood, however, that the crime was not connected in any way with Egypt’s declaration of war.”

“King Farouk has asked the Egyptian Foreign Minister .CNokrashy Pasha) fo act as Prime Minister, pending the appointment of a Prime Minister,” says the Exchange Telegraph Agency’s Cairo correspondent. “Nokrashy Pasha is deputy leader of the Saadist Party, and Ahmed Maher’s right-hand man.” Threats Received

Reuter’s Cairo correspondent says authoritative circles stated* that although Ahmed Maher received threats in connexion with carrying out the death sentences imposed on Lord Moyne’s assassins, there was no reason to connect these threats with to-day's shooting. The correspondent recalls that Ahmed Maher’s Saadist Party swept the polls at the 'Egyptian elections in January, and he subsequently formed a Coalition Government, Ahmed Maher is the second Egyptian Prime Minister to be assassinated in recent years. The other was Boutros Pasha, who in 1910 was shot by a young nationalist fanatic. King Farouk has conferred one of Egypt’s highest decorations, the Grand Cordon of Mohamed AU, posthumously on Ahmed Maher, The British United Press correspondent in Cairo says that Egypt is now at war with Germany and Japan, in spite of the fact that Ahmed Maher was shot before he was able to read the Royal , decree declaring war in the Senate. Under, the Egyptian constitution, war can be made either by the King or by a vote of the Chamber of Deputies. The decision in this case had already been made by King Farouk and was being merely communicated to the deputies before the assassination.

TURKEY AT WAR WITH AXIS

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY’S DECISION

BRITISH MEMORANDUM

LONDON, Feb. 23. Turkey has declared war on: Germany and Japan. The Ankara radio announced that the National Assembly has unanimously decided on this step. The radio quoted the Foreign Minister as telling the Assembly: “The British Ambassador (Sir Maurice Peterson) last Tuesday visited me and, in the name of the British Government. handed me a memorandum stating that, in accordance with the decisions i of the Crimea conference, those nations will have qualified as associate nations with the United Nations which have declared war on the Axis before March 1. These nations will be invited to participate in the San .Francisco conference in order to discuss future world organisation. "The British Ambassador stated that if Turkey declared war she would have to notify the United Nations that she wishes to adhere to the United Nations declaration.’’

The radio added that Britain had similarly notified Egypt and Iceland. The Foreign Minister told the Assembly that Britain’s suggestion provided an opportunity for Turkey to contribute other decisive efforts on behalf of the Allied cause. The Ankara radio announced' that Turkish military and trade missions will shortly visit Britain. The trade mission will negotiate a new commercial agreement. The Turkish decision to enter the war against Germany and Japan has been received in London favourably. It is, without doubt, prompted by the desire to obtain an invitation to the San Francisco conference. Nevertheless, coming though it does at a somewhat late hour, when her armed help can be of little importance. Turkey's decision is the culmination 'of many years of openly-expressed sympathy with the Allied cause. The ’ Anglo-Turkish- alliance has proved a reliable, if elastic, instrument for furthering the interests of the countries concerned, amd thereby also of those of the United Nations as a whole. Within its framework Turkey took a series of steps against Germany, mainly of an economic nature, leading to a complete rupture of relations last year. In the course of doing so she maintained the burden of mobilisation over five years lest at anv time it should suit the Germans to attack her. as thev did one bv one all the other European countries lying across their path of conquest.