The International Committee for the Safeguarding of the Jews of the Middle East yesterday launched a world-wide campaign for the release of Albert Elias, who is being detained in a Syrian jail. Elias, who served as the secretary general of the Beirut Jewish community, was kidnapped from the center of the Lebanese capital last Sept. 6. The appeal was launched after delegates from 14 countries attended a conference here on “Jews in the Arab Countries” under the chairmanship of Alain Poher, President of the French Senate.
Addressing a press conference last night Poher said that the situation of the Jews in Iraq and Egypt has considerably improved over the last year. He said, however, that the situation of Syria’s Jews has worsened over the same period. As an example, Poher and a Gaullist member of Parliament, Jacques Mercier, revealed for the first time the details of Elias’ kidnapping.
They said that Elias, who was 68 years yesterday, realized as early as last Aug. that he was being followed and watched. He appealed to the Lebanese police and was granted the protection of two full time bodyguards. It was in Nov. of last year, after the danger seemed to have passed, and the bodyguards had been removed, that Elias was kidnapped from Beirut’s streets and reportedly taken to Syria. He is now detained in a state prison for political crimes in Damascus.
Mercier said that a kidnapping attempt also had been made – and foiled – against the present president of the Beirut Jewish community. Yussuf Attiah. It was because of this second kidnapping attempt that Elias was erroneously described, for some time, as “Atalla.”
Elias’ daughter, Mrs. Decise Tawfik, paid tribute to the help and assistance granted to them by the Lebanese government. She said that the President of Lebanon had dealt with this matter himself and done everything in his power to try and secure Elias’ release. Tribute was also paid to the French, Italian and Canadian governments, for their help and intervention. Mrs. Tawfik is a Canadian citizen by marriage.
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