Syria Under Curfew After New Plot Fails

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31161, 10 September 1966, Page 15

Syria Under Curfew After New Plot Fails

(N.Z.P.A. Reuter—Copyright) f BEIRUT, September 9.

Syria was under a nation-wide curfew early today following an announcement by the Prime Minister, Yousef Zeayen, that a new attempt to overthrow his Government had been foiled.

Dr. Zeayen announced on Damascus Radio that the olot by “rightist, reactionary and opportunist elements” had been completely crushed.

In Damascus, military patrols moved through the streets, aircraft flew overhead, and armoured units guarded key city centres last night after the ruling national leadership of the Ba’ath Party ordered an indefinite curfew. The frontier was closed and a Syrian guard at the town of Masna, on the border with Lebanon, said he had been told not to let anyone enter Syria until further notice. In his radio broadcast, Dr. Zeayen said the curfew was necessary to crush all sources of plotting. “Peace is prevailing all over the country, and the revolution is continuing its triumphant march,” he said.

Security forces were ordered to deal ruthlessly with any attempts against peace and order, he added.

Last night’s moves came only 48 hours after the Government disclosed it had forestalled a military coup by ousted Ba’athist Party leaders and gave notice that the days of “lenience and tolerance” in Syria were over. The curfew, which excludes only workers in flour mills, bakeries, pharmacies, broadcasting and television stations and newspapers, came into force at 9 p.m. local time.

No official reason for the clampdown was given, but a Damascus Radio announcer said in an agitated voice that some factions were making “suspicious movements,” aimed at executing “imperialistic plans to overthrow your revolution, the socialist and unionist revolution.” The authorities were liquidating and arresting some

“reactionary elements,” he said.

In another commentary after the curfew announcement, the radio accused Mr Michel Aflaq, founder of the Ba’ath Party 25 years ago, Mr Salaheddin Al-Bitar, a former Prime Minister, and Dr. Munif Al-Razzaz, former SecretaryGeneral of the party’s international leadership, of planning a new attempt against the present Government. Frontier guards were allowing foreigners to leave Syria through Masna last night. Among them was a Portuguese travel agent, Antonio Mascarenhas, of Lisbon, who said Damascus streets were crowded and a few civilians, apparently members of the Workers’ Federation, were carrying rifles and machineguns. He did not hear any gunfire in the city. Premier Zeayen also called for an end to “Red Guard” tactics by Syrian workers. After Syrian authorities announced two days ago that they had foiled a rightist attempt to topple the Government, workers took the law into their own hands.

Great Fire Marked.—London will go swinging down the river tonight to celebrate a disaster —the Great Fire which burned five-sixths of the walled city 300 years ago. The majestic Thames will be floodlit in colour and festoons of lights will sparkle from its bridges and trees along the embankment.—London, Sept. 9.