Evening star., 1940-10-21
Bdhrein Raid 10 Have
Wide Repercussions,
Italians Predict
Attack Made in Hope Of
Boosting Anti-British
Feeling, Agency Says

Boosting Anti-British
Feeling, Agency Says
By the Associated Press.
ROME, Oct. 2l.-Stefani, official
italian news agency, said today a
far-reaching political motive behind
Saturdays Italian bombing of
Bahrein Island in the Persian Gulf
was the hope it would increase anti
British feeling in India.
The Italian air force reached
clear to the gateway of English In
dla,' Stefani said, where the popu-
lations ferment against the domi-
mating nation is increasing daily.
The air action against Bahrein will
have world repercussions."
Yesterdays communique of the
italian high command said Italian
? planes flew $500 miles to bomb the
British oil center in the Gulf of Per-
sia. setting enormous fires" with
hits on pipe lines. reineries and
tanks.
The Bahrein Petroleum Co., which
conducts operations of the island is
described as British firm registered
in Canada. which is partly owned
by Standard Oil Co. of California
and the Texas Corp.
(Bahrein is an independent
state whose ruler is neutral in
the war. The British Royal Air
Force in Cairo, Egypt, charged
that the italian flyers violated
the neutrality of the independent
Moslem state of Saudi, Arabia, in
the attack, in which it said there
were no casualties and little
damage. The British added that
the Fascist bombers flew near
Mecca, the holy city of the
Moslems.
(American-owned oil wells on
the mainland of Saudi Arabia
were said by the British to have
been bombed and they added
that this outrage follows Premier
Mussolinis undertaking not to
bomb Moslem territory.O
Oil Supplies Set Afire.
q Stefan said the military success
of the surprise" Bahrein Island
bombing arose from the destruction
or setting afire of oil supplies which
the enemy could have considered
unattackable and unreachable be-
cause of their distance from Italian
air bases.
The agency described the expedi-
ton as "the greatest flight since the
beginning of the war and most
important warlike action carried out
against an extremely important
enemy center of fuel supplies"
Meantime, Italy herself felt the
effect of British air raids.
Eight persons were reported killed
and IS injured as British bombers
attacked Northern Italian cities
early today for the first time since
early last month.
Casualties at Verona.
Some casualties were reported at
Verona by the Italian high COM
mand which said bombs hit
charitable institution there hous-
ing so orphans and $50 others.
Other bombs fell at Pavia, Ales-
sandria and near Savona.
Some homes were demolished in
Pavia Province where four persons
we're reported killed and one in
'jured. In Alessandria Province
three buildings were damaged. Fires
were started in wood around
parish, spreading to nearby homes
In the village of Borgio Verezzi near
Savona.
The last previous British raid on
Italy was the night of September
5 when Turin was bombed.
Sinkings Claimed.
The high command today claimed
that Italian bombers which ralded
q British base at Perrin last Thurs
day apparently sank two British
watships among light fleet units
stationed there.
1t also told of continued air raid
mg by both sides in the battle of
North and East Africa. Clashes
between advance patrols also were
reported and the high command
communique said a British mech
anized column was forced back by
an Italian patrol on the Eritrean
frontier.
After a lightning inspection Of
italian troops near the Yugoslav
frontier, Premier Mussolini was back
in Rome today amid ominouS Balkan
rumblings and renewed Fascist prop
aganda attacks on Greece and
Turkey.
Greece and Turkey Accused.
= While II Duce, plotting his own
plane, was speeding to three North
ern towns to visit his armed forces
for the second time in the last few
weeks, Virginio Gayda, authoritative
Fascist editor, charged that Greece
and Turkey ARE dangerously mixed
up in insidious British policy
But he added 1T is their affair
and does not concern the axis
During his troop inspection yes
terday Mussolini visited units at
Roncm del Legionari, the town to
which he was brought for treatment
after a World War injury; Sappiane
and San Pietro del Carso. Recently
he spent five days with troops in
the vicinity Of Padua, which also Is
near the Dalmatia area OF Yugo-
slavia.
Two Raid Alerts in Cairo.
CAIRO, Egypt, Oct. 81 P).-
Cairo had two air raid alerts during
the night but both passed without
any planes being heard by resi-
dents