Arab Leaders Fear Allied Pressure for Extradition of “escaped” Mufti from Syria

Haj Amin el Husseini, ex-Mufti of Jerusalem, is reliably reported today to be living at Chush el Mathben, a village near Damascus, capital of Syria, in a dwelling belonging to Jamil Mardam, the Syrian ambassador to Egypt.

Arab leaders said today that if pressure continues on Syria for the extradition of the Mufti, he would probably be transferred to Saudi Arabia. They pointed out that the plane which brought the Palestine Arab delegates to the Arab League Conference now under way at Bludan, Syria, is still at Damascus and would be available to the Mufti.

From Cairo it was reported today that Arab League circles stated that they had good reason to believe the Mufti flew from France in a French plane to Syria and went on by air to Saudi Arabia, where he is seeking sanctuary at the court of King Ibn Saud.

From Beirut it was reported that frequent visits to Damascus by delegates of the Arab League meeting in Eludan–25 miles away–have strengthened the belief that the Mufti is there. Most morning papers said the Mufti had arrived safely in one of the Arab states but for political reasons the announcement had been postponed. The Lebanese and Syrian Governments said they had no information.

PALESTINE CENSER DELETES REPORTS ON U.S. INTEREST IN MUFTI’S ESCAPE

Arab journalists and leaders of Arab political parties in Palestine openly speak of the ex-Mufti’s presence in Damascus though official sources continue to deny his arrival there.

While permitting the sale of the Mufti’s picture in the streets of Jerusalem, the Palestine Government’s censor prohibits any mention in the press of the Mufti’s whereabouts. Jewish Telegraphic Agency cables from the United States reporting American interest in the “escape” of the ex-Mufti ware similarly suppressed by the censor.

Bernard Joseph, legal advisor of the Jewish Agency, today denied a report carried by an American news agency that he summoned a special secret session of the Jewish Agency executive to discuss the re-appearance of the ex-Mufti in the Middle East. “This report is without any foundation,” he told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.