REBELLIOUS ARAB FORCES THREATEN IRAQ FRONTIERS

Manawatu Times, Volume LIII, Issue 6551, 7 March 1928, Page 8

REBELLIOUS ARAB FORCES THREATEN IRAQ FRONTIERS

Ibn Saud Determined Will Punish Infidels TURNS ASIDE BRITISH FRIENDSHIP [By Electric Cable-Copyright,] tAuat and N.Z. Cable Association.! BASRA, March 5. A disquieting turn is reported in tbe case of the Wahabi rebels. : ibn Saud is credited with having told a gathering of Shieks that as I peaceful methods have failed to I bring the infidel Kowelts and ! Trans-Jordanians bacic to the Islam fold he would assist it forcefully, for which h 6 would provide munitions and food. If this threat is carried out it will mean that Britain will have to deal with a powerful Arab combination instead of small parties of marauders. Ibn Saud has given tho Ajman tribe 400 rifles and large supplies of ammunition, and is similarly supporting other fanatical tribes, for the purpose of attacking “tho infidels of Irak, Koweit and Trans-Jordania.” This is tho first intimation of aa intention to attack Trans-Jordania. It is believed that Ibn Saud has turned against the British owing to the heavy damage caused by the Air Force raids ,but he has never been very friendly since Britain stopped his subsidy of £60,000 yearly, owing to his intrigues. The Air Force - units are assembling at strategic points ana armoured cars and trains are being held in readiness to co-operate. BRITAIN WARNS WAHABIS IMMEDIATE STEPS WILL BE TAKEN TO SUFRBSS, (A.P.A. and “Sun.”) LONDON, March 5. In the House of Commons Mr L. C. Amery told a questioner that the Government had furnished Abn Saud with prior information regarding the action to be taken to repel the raiders in Irak. He was satisfied that the marauders would ultimately learn that they could not. penetrate peaceful neighbouring territory and idulgc in wanton pillage and massacre of men, women and children. In answer to another question Mr Amery said that he was satisfied tho Air Force was doing everything possible to deal with tho raiders in Iraq. Gurkha 'Reinforcements. The Basra correspondent of “The Times” says that it is understood that a battalion of Gurkhas is arriving from India to reinforce Koweit (a good part of Arabia, at the north-west angle of the Persian Gulf) . ; ‘j The Sultan of Koweit’s messenger/! have returned from the-King of the Wahabis saying that he is unable to answer for the Mutairs and Ataibahs and advising Koweit to prepare against attack. The messengers declare that they saw hostile tribes mustering in the Nejd. Colonial Office Denies. The Colonial Office however, states that there is no foundation whatever for the reports tbat have appeared in the Press to tbe effect that troops are being sent to Koweit from India in connection with the troubles.

STORY OP WAHABIS. The Wahabis are the followers of Abd-el-Wahhab (IG91 —1787) a Mohammedan reformer, who opposed all practices not sanctioned by the Koran. His successors formed a powerful dominion whose chief seat was in Nejd, in the centre of Arabia. They were overthrown by Ibrahcm Pasha in 1818, but afterwards regained much of their former power in Central Arabia. During the late war the Wahabis were generally neutral, but since, under Ibn Saud, a powerful leader, they have driven out Hussein, King of the Hcdjaz, from Mecca and Jedda, making Ibn Saud King in their stead. In September last a treaty was concluded between Great Britain and Hedjaz and Nejd and its dependencies, providing for the British recognition of tho complete and absolute independence of tho Dominions of tb* s King of Hedjaz and Nejd. Article two of this Treaty provided for pcaco and friendship between the contracting parties, each undertaking to prevent its territories being used as the base for unlawful activities directed against tranquility in the territories of the other. Article Six provides for the maintenance of friendly relations by Hedjaz and Nejd with tho territories of Kowcit and Bahrein, and the Oman Coast, who are in special treaty relations with Britain. In the Notes exchanged Great Britain adheres to her definition of the frontier between Hcdjaz and TransJordanla, and while the Hcdjaz finds it impossible in the present cirjcumstances to effect a final settlement of this question the undertaking

is given to maintain the status quo in the main Akaba district. The main majority of Moslems are Sunnites, but the Persians and some of the Indians are Shiites, and between the two sects is the bitterest feud. The Wahabis would represent tho most puritanical pact of Sunnites.