File 287/1917 'Arabia: Deportation of undesirable Indians' [‎60r] (130/324)

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SecretZletter, dsctad No.3923/II/r^.. A., dated the 1st November
1917, from Sir Charles Cleveland,K.C.I.E.,Director,Criminal
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Intelligence to the Hon.Sir James DuBoulay,i\.C.1 .E. ,C.S.I. ,
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Member, Home Department (Government of India).
Please see your B.O.No.2549, dated the 19th ultimo, on
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the subject of Burn’s interviewing the internees at Malta on
his way home. I went to Lucknow and met Burn on the 30th and
31st ultimo. I find Burn, who represents the U.P.Government
in this matter, is in entire agreement with me as to the nature
of his interviews and communications with the internees, he will
go to Malta to find out and report how Mehmud Hasan and the
four fellow internees are getting on, how they are being treated,
what their attitude is, and what, if anything, they have to say
for themselves. He will not offer them any kind of promise
or require them to give any kind of undertaking. If they are
repentant they can spontaneously make any requests they like to
Burn, and he will forward them for the consideration of Govern
ment. Burn thinks that it is very fckx unlikely that Mahmud
Hasan is repentant. The old gentleman decided in favour of
hiirat and iehad after mature reflection, his ideas as to the
duty of a .good Mussulman were changed by the events
of the Balkan Wars and by the Cavmpore Mosque excitement.
The war with Turkey and even the instigation of the arch vil
lain Obedulla had a prepared soil to work upon. His arrest and
incarceration in a prisoners of war camp have probably hardened
and not softened the old man. Besides this, one at least of
his companions is a really dangerous fanatic, Anzer Gul. Under
all these circumstances, Burn thinks it will be quite unwise
to give the old man or his companions any definite opening ^or
refusing an offer from Government and accompanying their refusal
by a declaration in favour of the Islamic faith, all of which
would doubtless be in time reported to India and made public.
On all these points I am in entire agreement with Burn, and we
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may safely entrust the mission to Burn witnout more instructions
than are to be derived from a perusal of this letter, a copy
of which I propose witb/iyour consent to send up to him.