Evening star., 1946-06-23
Benign-Faced MufH Master Plotter
Arab Leader Has 26Year Record of Intrigue Especially Aimed
Marked by Many Honors and as Many Accusations

81
fled into French Syria, dis
guised as Bedouin. His spiritual po-
sition, coupled with strained Franco
British relations in the Middle East, pro-
tected him although the British had
posted reward for his capture.
In Syria he set up headquarters on
Mount Karnayel and continued to di-
rect intrigue. When Associated Press
Reporter James A. Mills in 1888 visited
what he called the Muftis secret cita-
del Of sedition," he found Husseini "a
Plus, soft-spoken man resembling an
ecclesiaStic more than politician"
With the outbreak of the war, Husse-
ini escaped the surveillance of the
French and appeared in Iraq, where he
was credited by the Berlin radio with
fomenting native uprising. The re-
bellion was ill-timed and put down fby
the British before the German Army,
busy occupying Crete, could move in.
Plotted With Hitler.
The Mufti escaped, eastward into
Iran. and next was reported in Teheran.
When the British and Russians oc-
cupied that country in 1910, he again
eluded captors, and in late 1941 arrived
in Rome where Mussolini gave him a
warm welcome.
A month later Husseini reached Ber-
lin. The day after the Japanese attack
on Pearl Harbor he was photographed
sitting in private session with Hitler
or ~ Axyie
During the war years he broadcast
frequent pleas to the Arabs and
travelled into the Balkans to organize
Moslem legions to fight for the Ger
mans In Berlin he is reported to have
set up school for Russian Moslems.
At least one of the brigades he formed
saw action on the Eastern front.
A broadcast he made in March, 1912,
was typical of his thesis:
IF those Allies win this war, the Jew
ish influence will be the arbiter in the
world resources and one can thus
imagine the future of the Arabs and
Moslems, and the danger which they
are exposed to in their fatherlands and
beliefs if the Jews and their Allies
dominate them and spread the latent
hatred on to them but Allah is
too just and merciful to grant such
murderous violators any victory
Barred by Switzerland.
Just before Germany's surrender, the
Mufti sought refuge in Switzerland. But
was refused entry. Then he succeeded
in surrendering to the French forces.
The house arrest in France, from which
he recently escaped eastward, followed
Last week the Mufti finally reached
Egypt where he claimed sanctuary which
the Egyptian government has promised
! him in difference to the fact that he
lis great Arab chief"
tThe Premier, Ismail Sidky Pasha
indicated, however, that it is not antici-
pated that the Mufti will engage In
any controversial activities while. enjoy
ing Egyptian hospitality
That he is a force and a ma jor prob
lem in Middle East affairs is evident
from the worldwide outburst of interest
which has followed his most recent
hegira. =
Those who have seen him and heard
( him speak offer little help in determin-
ing why he has been able to attain such
position of power. He rarely addresses
large gatherings in person, but his radio
speeches during the war revealed him
as an accomplished phrasemaker. His
organization, built through church pa
tronage at first and more recently with
Axis funds, is well established but sew
eral of his lieutenants are credited with
being the expert detail men and brains
who have set up the machinery.
Distributed by the Associated Press