'Proposed Intelligence Service for the Middle East' [‎68r] (6/11)

BSrSySL*** 1 * W the whole organieation and
2. Pereia.—The same remarks apply to IVria where inteliigence might continue
to be co-ordinated at the Ministry and circulated from there as necessary.
VIL Europe.—1 In addition to the actual Mohammedan countries, it is essential
to keep an eye on Mohammedan intrigues in Europe, and to ensure this it will be
necessary that all our Embassies and Military Attaches in Europe should be cognisant
of the system pioposed above, so that they would know with whom to correspond
direct m case of no point of interest to no particular intelligence centre arising
lieyond tins, it may also be necessary to maintain an Intelligence Bureau in some
central place in Europe, as is at present the case in Switzerland. It remains to be
seen whether Switzerland will remain the most suitable centre when once peace has
been declared and Europe settles into its new shape, but this service should at any
rate be maintained for the present. It will only be necessary to acquaint our bureau
in Switzerland with the full scheme and give them instructions to correspond freely
with the various centres when necessary.
VIIL London. —I. Haying now considered the various'collecting centres of
Mohammedan information, it is necessary to examine our own organisation in London
and see whether any reorganisation is required. The various offices which may be
affected have been considered in para. 1 (3) above. At any rate, until a Ministry for
the Near East or some such organisation is established, it does not seem likely that
the information received can be co-ordinated exclusively in any one of the existing
offices, and probably the present system of decentralisation, supplemented by a central
branch of Arbur to circulate information received from Arbur branches to departments
concerned, is the best in existing circumstances.
2. At the same time, the Eastern Committee should be retained under a selected
1 resident so as to bind the whole together as at present. The Committee need only
assemble when necessary, but should be endowed with executive power to deal with
matters of general principle concerning the "Near Eastern Intelligence Bureau."
3. This question involved consideration of the means of circulating information
to those principally interested.
Probably the most satisfactory organisation will be the establishment in London
of a central branch of Arbur under a Director and representatives of all departments.
This central Arbur would receive from its branches abroad detailed information
supplementary to that telegraphed direct to the head offices by the various local
authorities, and would be responsible for analysing this information and distributing
it to all concerned. The Director might be appointed by the President of the Eastern
Committee, to whom he might conveniently act as Secretary for purposes connected
with proceedings of the Eastern Committee.
4. Generally speaking, the proposed organisation 1 would supplement, but not
interfere with, the existing system, as conducted in liaison between the various offices
in London ; but two practical additions present themselves :—
(а) Liaison officers appointed by the Eastern Committee should periodically
travel from one end of the organisation to the other. They should have
no executive power, but would merely advise and report.
(б) Officers and others should be encouraged, under reference to the Eastern
Committee, to spend their shooting, &c. leave in obtaining knowledge of
the countries.
To recapitulate.
IX.—1. The proposed scheme practically amounts to the - establishment of
44 Arbur " branches throughout the Mohammedan theatres with a central branch in
London. These branches would embrace all sections of intelligence w^ork and would
be complete in themselves. Their personnel would represent all services, and, except
where Military Administration prevailed, would normally be under the control of a
Political rather than of a Military officer. But a clear understanding should be
1 If, as has been hinted previousiy, a Near Eastern Ministry is formed, the -whole question will
need reconsideration. But for the present the Eastern Committee practically takes the place of a Near-
Eastern Ministry.