Justice Department Tells Congressman Arab Students Organization Has Been Watched

In response to a request by Rep. Joel T. Broyhill, North Carolina Republican, that Communist and Arab propaganda activities in the United States be investigated, J. Walter Yeagley, Assistant Attorney General, has informed the Congressman that “the activities of the Organization of Arab Students among other student organizations have been a matter of continuous inquiry by the Department of Justice for more than 10 years.”

“On the basis of the information made available to this Department,” Mr. Yeagley noted, “it does not appear that the Organization of Arab Students…is acting within the United States at the direction or control of a foreign Government.” “We endeavor to keep abreast of the activities of individuals and organizations of both the extreme left and the extreme right and are following these activities very closely,” he said.

Mr. Yeagley added that “the investigation on Sirhan B. Sirhan and all ramifications of the Robert F. Kennedy assassination is continuing.” Rep. Broyhill had asked about possible links between the assassination of Senator Kennedy and Arab opposition to Sen. Kennedy’s stand on Middle East issues.

In his letter to Attorney General Ramsey Clark requesting the investigation, Rep. Broyhill asserted that “President Nasser of Egypt and other Arab leaders urged Arabs throughout the world to demonstrate their wrath on June 5, the first anniversary of the outbreak of last year’s Middle East war. June 5,” he added, “was the day Sirhan Sirhan assassinated Sen. Kennedy, according to the charge lodged against him.” The Congressman had also asked the Department of Justice to investigate whether connections exist among the Arab organizations here, Black Power groups and “the so-called New Left.”