ARMING BY MOSLEMS AND OTHER GROUPS IN LEBANON

Document Type: 
Collection: 
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
Case Number: 
Publication Date: 
October 25, 1948
Content Type: 
REPORT
File: 
AttachmentSize
PDF icon CIA-RDP82-00457R002000060010-6.pdf202.42 KB
Body: 
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. "NNFIDENT1AL WANING NOTICE: THIS DISTRIBUTION LISTING MUST BE, CLASSIFICATION CONF:OD. EXCI 12EFORE PUBLIC RELEASE OF THIS DOCUMENT, "Pp- rATE NAVY ------kiNSRB J,y1 ARMY AIR ISTRIBUTION # ncii1/7:5151.1b, "4 #111111 ; 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. Next Review DAlgioapv Id ForRiMe 'A 4 CONFIOTIALDAtiate:- 2 2001/11/23 : CIA-RDP82-00457R002000060010-6 # A 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