Oral Answers to Questions — Fawzi El Kaukji

– in the House of Commons am 12:00 am ar 5 Mawrth 1947.

Danfonwch hysbysiad imi am ddadleuon fel hyn

Photo of Mr John Lewis Mr John Lewis , Bolton 12:00, 5 Mawrth 1947

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how it was that Fawzi Kawkji, emissary of the ex-Mufti' of Jerusalem, who is on the Palestine Government's list of wanted men and who landed at Lydda airport near Jerusalem on his way to Cairo on Saturday, 22nd February, was not arrested by the Palestine authorities.

Photo of Mr James Hoy Mr James Hoy , Leith

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if the Palestine Government had at any time issued any warrant for the arrest of Fawzi ed-Din Kaukji, or any order forbidding him to enter Palestine.

Photo of Mr Barnett Janner Mr Barnett Janner , Leicester West

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he wlil make a statement on the arrival of Fawzi ed-Din Kaukji in Egypt; and whether his extradition will be asked for.

Mr. Creech Jones:

I would invite attention to the reply I gave on this subject to my hon. Friend the Member for Central Hackney (Mr. H. Hynd) on 3rd March.

Fawzi El Kaukji is a Lebanese national; and though no order of exclusion from Palestine or warrant of arrest has been issued against him by the Palestine authorities, he was included on the special list for detention on entering Palestine as a person whose presence constituted a serious danger to security. He arrived in Egypt on 23rd February and held a transit visa issued by the Egyptian Consulate in Paris. I understand that he has now reached the Lebanon. It is not intended to request his extradition.

Photo of Mr Barnett Janner Mr Barnett Janner , Leicester West

Would my right hon. Friend say why no application has been made for this man's extradition in view of the very serious steps he took against the Allies before the war?

Mr. Creech Jones:

The point is that he has already reached the Lebanon and there is no occasion to invite him back into Palestine.

Photo of Hon. Oliver Stanley Hon. Oliver Stanley , Bristol West

Am I to understand from the right hon. Gentleman's reply that although this man landed in Palestine, because he was not on the list and was a Syrian subject, he was not stopped, or that he would have been stopped if those responsible for security had found out who he was?

Mr. Creech Jones:

It those responsible for security had found out who he was, undoubtedly something would have happened, but he came down to the port of Lydda for one hour only, he was travelling under a different passport and his baggage was marked with a different name.

Photo of Hon. Oliver Stanley Hon. Oliver Stanley , Bristol West

If it is a tact that had it not been for a failure on the part of the security service he would have been arrested when passing through Palestine, why is it not now intended to press for his extradition from Egypt?

Photo of Mr John Lewis Mr John Lewis , Bolton

May I ask the Minister to take steps to ensure that in future the Palestine authorities take it upon themselves to ascertain the identity of those people who arrive at airports there so that incidents of this kind cannot occur?

Photo of Mr Barnett Janner Mr Barnett Janner , Leicester West

While 1 appreciate that this man has now reached the Lebanon, may I ask whether my right hon. Friend can take any steps in order to have him extradited, not to Palestine but back to Germany, whence he came, so that he may be tried?

Photo of Mr Morgan Price Mr Morgan Price , Forest of Dean

Is it not a fact that this gentleman is a Syrian subject, and unless he has committed a murder or something of the kind—[HON. MEMBERS: "He has committed many murders."]—there are no grounds for seeking his extradition?

Photo of Mr Quintin Hogg Mr Quintin Hogg , Oxford

Would not these attempts to stop illegal immigration into Palestine be more impressive if the two hon. Members who asked these questions were more catholic?