ARMING BY MOSLEMS AND OTHER GROUPS IN LEBANON

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00457R002000060010-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 1, 2001
• Sequence Number: 10
• Publication Date: October 25, 1948
• Content Type: REPORT

r\SSIFICA1*IONco JTi1L.L
Approved F''',..5filmte14101/ilitarTiloplikdR:68,2-00457R9gict9ff6981.
hilFORIVIONFIDENTIALRT
COUNTRY Lebanon
SUBJECT
25X1A
25X1X
Arming by Moslems
and Other Groups in Lebanoz
25X1A
LIBRARy
25X1A
DATE DISTR. 25 October 1P.X1A
NO. OF PAGES 2
NO. OF ENCLS.
(LISTED BELOW)
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO.
25X1X
1. Arming by Lebanese Moslems has tireatly increased since the start of
the Palestine war, because of the opportunity for influential Moslems
to buy arras under the guise of getting them for volunteers and for the
Army of Liberation, This arming continues actively with the knowledge 25X1A
of the Lebanese Government? and erne smuggling from Palestine into
25X1A Lebanons and from Turkey and Syria by both land and sea, in continuous
comment. The purchase of Turkish arms, reported in
boug v tralaTOtiiledge of the Syrian President Shukri Quwwatli and
other authorities, is supplemented ?07 a second report on the same subject
from the same source, which states that Camille Shantuna !Aaron Ax A
ale?.
an employee of the British Legation; and the Circassian prince, 2\51V
Ahmed Nami Bey? were closely involved in this arms de1 In addition
to thrd nF-)t-iation? a source
reported that Muhammad ,..Shald.r Baydun, witlt the knowledge of Camille Sham gun.,
was purchasing arms from villages along the Turkish border. A part of these'
arms was for the Army of Liberation and the rest was to be sold to
individuals, particularly to :f..4.tbanese Mosleras. 25X1X
2. About 15 September., the Gendarmes and the Lebanese Army exchanged
shots with a smuggling gang which traffics in arms along the Palestinian
border. The arms were captured, and the leader of the band, Muhammad Shams,
was detained. After a few days he was released, the arms returned to -----'
their owners, and instructions were issued that .guards should not be on
duty at certain specific hours during the night at specific border
locations where smugglers could easily cross.
3. At the end of September the Sexet6 investigated an explosion in the home
of Muhammad. Datuo? a fisherman, and Husayn Tabbarah? the chauffeur of
Semi S?alh? and found three cases containing ten thousand sticks of
dynamite, which they confiscated. Summons for the arrest of Daing.. and
Tabbara.h were prepared, but were later withdrawn, the investigation was closed?
and the three cases were returned.
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This document is hereby regraded to
CONFIDENTIAL in accordance with the
letter of 16 October 1978 from the
Director Of Central IntellIgence to the
Archivist of the United States.
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2001/11/23 : CIA-RDP82-00457R002000060010-6
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Approved For Release 2001/11/33 : CIA-RDP82-00457R002000060010-6
CONFIDENTIAL
WAFIDE4IAL
CENURAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
25X1A
Tanios !awn, an investigator of the Sure* reported to
tramayneniy Chief of the Iavestigation Section and Acting ief
orth)-Judicial Police, that a great number of arms had been found
in leave at RIM Beirut, Ilunaymied told Tawil to prepare a report
on 'he matter and also advised the owners to remove the arms from
tir cave* After five days Munaymini sent Tamil and a number of
ralice to confiscate the arms, Which by that time had been remove&
5. 2he Shilas in the Biqa', particularly Hallam Qasin6 his sons and
followers, and members of the ',leiter, Shams, Yaghi? Dandash and
Haydar families, are openly arming themselves* The Muktars of the
villages of Doris and vAin.Borkhais near Balalbeks went to Utile
to protest to the authorities about this arming. However, the
authorities can de nothing, source states, as these families are
followers of Sabri Hamadah? leader of the Chamber of Deputies,
Ibrahim Haydar, Shila deputy from the Biqa', and of Raffat Qaztuny
who are in control of this area
6,, The following elements also have arms:
a. The Hizb al-Vida al-gewmi, the majority of whose members
are Moslem, which has established two factories for the
production of bombs for the Palestine vary and which
hides a large quantity of these bombs for distribution
to its own members when needed.
b. The Druze majority of the Hitb al-Qawmi al-Suri, which is
well armed, and the Party has large quantities of arms
and dynamite. Source further states that 90% of the Drazes
in Lebanon' are armed,
c. Phalangistsywho still have the arias which the French gave
them before their withdrawal.
d. The Christians in Zghortay Ehden, Bahama, Deir al-Qanar,
Zahleh and a number of Shuf villages, who, although they
have sold most of their arms to persons buying then,
for use in Palestine, still have some left.
cONFNTTh.L
CONFIDNTIAL
Approved For Release 2001/11/23 : CIA-RDP82-00457R002000060010-6