SYRIAN CHARGE OF BRIBE

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28529, 7 March 1958, Page 7

SYRIAN CHARGE OF BRIBE

Plot To Murder Nasser Alleged

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright)

(Rec. 8 p.m.) DAMASCUS, March 6 Syria’s Army “strong man” alleged last night that King Saud of Saudi Arabia offered him more than £2O million if he succeeded in having President Nasser assassinated, and if he prevented the Egyptian-Syrian union.

Colonel Abdel Hamid Serraj, intelligence chief of the Syrian Army, told a press conference that he was offered about £2 million and the Presidency of Syria if he agreed to carry out the plot A further £2O million was to be paid if the plot were successful, he claimed.

This offer was passed to him by Assad Ibrahim, whom he described as King Saud’s father-in-law and the go-between in the plot.

Colonel Serraj said he had accepted money from the plotters and pretended to agree about “the evils of the Egyptian-Syrian Union.’ But he had informed the Commander-in-Chief of the Egyp-tian-Syrian forces. Marshal Hakim Amer, of the plot.

He then cashed the cheques he had received—for the benefit of the Republic, he said. “The West was behind this,” Colonel Serraj said. “What was more dangerous was that the Americans were aware of the matter and when, the operation was completed the United States Ambassador would come to me and recognise the State. “So would other countries.” He then handed round copies of a letter alleged to have been “dictated by King Saud,” which said the Syrian President, Shukri el Kuwatly, and his Cabinet, “who have thrown the country into the present disaster, should be arrested and held custody until the situation is stabilised and the Republic' announced.” TUNISIAN CHARGE “Murder Plot Discovered” (Rec. 9 p.m.) TUNIS, March 5. Tunisia claimed today that plotters based in Cairo wanted to kill the Tunisian President, Mr Bourguiba because of his devotion to the West, according to the American Associated Press. The agency said the Tunisian Foreign Minister, Mr Sadok Mokkabem, summoned the Egyptian Charge D’Affaires and told him that Tunisia took a serious view of evidence of a plot to kill the President. At the same time the agency said, the Tunisian Interior Minister, Mr Taieb Mehiri, told a press conference that the Tunisians were particularly concerned that the Egyptian Government had issued a passport to a Tunisian citizen to enable him to come to Tunis to touch off the alleged plot. Reuter quoted the Tunisian Interior Minister as saying that 41 Tunisians had been arrested in Tunis and other parts of the country after inquiries into an extremist plot against the Government. He told the press conference that the arrests followed the discovery of letters from the extremist leader, Salah Ben Youssef, calling for revolt against the regime and for the murder of President Bourguiba. Salah Ben Youssef, former Sec-retary-General of the ruling NeoDestour Party, fled the country two years ago and was believed to be in Cairo. IRAQI OIL FOR JORDAN BAGDAD, March 6. Iraq will supply Jordan immediately with oil products from her “home consumption only” refinery, the Iraqui Minister of Economics, Dr. Dhia Jaffar, announced yesterday. The measure was taken after a Syrian decision to restrict commerce .traffic between Amman and the Lebanon, which passed through Syrian territory, had been reported. The Syrian decision was stated to have created a serious fuel shortage in Jordan.