'File 11/44 Leading Personalities in Iraq, Iran & Saudi Arabia' [‎33r] (65/96)

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and Ali Jaudat, as a protest against the conduct of
Nuri Pasha’s Government. Became a prominent
leader of the Hizb-al-Ikha-al-Watani (the party of
National Brotherhood). He encouraged the general
strike in July 1931, hoping thereby to embarrass
Nuri Pasha’s Cabinet. Appointed chief private
secretary to the King in July 1932. Became Prime
Minister in March 1933. Resigned October 1933.
Appointed Senator in summer of 1934. Helped to
organise the disturbances on the Euphrates which
forced Ali Jaudat to resign in March 1935 and, as
Minister for the Interior, joined the Cabinet then
formed by Yasin-al-Hashimi.
After Bakr Sidqi’s military revolt against the
Hashimite Cabinet in October 1936, Rashid Ali fled
to Constantinople. He came back in October 1937.
During 1938 he made several speeches in the
Senate attacking the policy of Jamil-al-Madfai’s
Cabinet.
Deported to Anah December 1938. Returned a
few days later when Nuri-al-Said succeeded Jamil-
al-Madfai as Prime Minister. Appointed chief
private secretary to the Palace in January 1939, and
remained in this post after King Ghazi’s death in
April 1939. Became Prime Minister in March 1940.
Throughout 1940 he moved steadily towards a
break with His Majesty’s Government and a closer
understanding with the Axis. He refused to break
^diplomatic relationswith Italy when Italy entered
*\5\f war, but remained in the closest personal contact
with the Italian Legation. He also gave full support
to the Mufti’s intrigues with the Axis Governments
and sponsored the overtures which Naji Shawkat
made to the German Minister at Angora in October
1940. In Iraq he gave free rein to the Palestinian
agitators and to the pro-Nazi elements of the Press,
even allowing it to be stated officially that the policy
of his Government was one of strict neutrality in
the war in spite of the Anglo-Iraqi Treaty of
Alliance. Pressure from the embassy forced his
resignation at the end of January 1941, but he
returned to office by means of a military coup d’Etat
on the 1st April. He then set aside the Regent and
installed Sharif Sharaf in his place. At this juncture,
as part of their war plan, His Majesty’s Government
began to move troops into Iraq, but Rashid Ali,
backed by the army, refused to agree to the presence
of more than one brigade.
At the beginning of May the Iraqi army attempted
4*^ surround the British air base at Habbaniyah and
^stilities broke out. Throughout the month Rashid
1 Ali and his colleagues endeavoured to unite the
country in a campaign against us, but, though the
townspeople were with him, he received little support
from the big tribes and fled to Persia after a compara
tively small British column had defeated the far
larger Iraqi forces opposed to them. From Persia
he contrived to make his way to Turkey, and in
December, having broken his parole, he escaped to
Germany and joined the Mufti in Berlin, where he
became a feature of the Berlin Arabic broadcast.
Tried in absentia by court martial and sentenced to
death in January 1942.
Throughout the years 1942-44 he continued to
conduct an active campaign against Great Britain
from Berlin and Rome and was recognised by the
Axis as the legitimate Prime Minister of Iraq.
It is now known that the struggle for predominance
between him and the Mufti led to a split in the
ranks of the Arab traitors. When in London the
Regent reiterated his determination that when
caught he would be executed.
When the Germans realised that the end was near
they offered to fly him to Egypt. He said he preferred
Saudi Arabia but the Germans said they could not
fly him so far. He therefore was taken through the
German lines in a car and went to the Tyrol, thence
through Austria to Prague where two Syrian friends
35143
gave him a passport. Apparently with the unwitting
assistance of American, British and French military
transport he finally arrived at Marseilles and thence
sailed to Beirut. On the morning of the 24th
September, 1945, he arrived in Riyadh in disguise.
When he declared himself Ibn Sand gave him
asylum. This at once precipitated a crisis in Saudi-
Iraqi relations and there were many acrimonious and
futile interchanges between Ibn Saud and the
Regent. The Prime Minister, Hamdi Pachachi,
insisted on regarding it as a personal matter and not
a political one involving the two countries. The
Regent was finally persuaded to accept this view and
seems now overtly reconciled to Rashid Ali’s con
tinued presence in Riyadh. Covertly, however, there
is no doubt that he harbours this additional grudge
against Ibn Saud.
There has been a press campaign recently in his
favour in Egypt and various requests for his pardon
have been forwarded to the Regent. Reports
indicate that he is recognised by the Iraqi Istiqlal
Party as their leader
101. Rashid-al-Khojah
Sunni of Bagdad. Born 1884. Staff officer in
Turkish army. Came to Damascus after the
armistice. Prominent member of the Ahd-al-Iraqi.
He returned to Bagdad in November 1920 and was
appointed mutessarif in January 1921. He is weak
and much under the thumb of the extreme National
group. In February 1922 he was appointed mutes
sarif of Mosul, where he was completely under the
influence of Mustafa Sabunji. As his presence in
a frontier division was considered inexpedient by the
Iraqi Government, he was removed and reappointed
mutessarif of Bagdad. Appointed Iraqi Consul-
General at Cairo October 1928. and Director-General
of Education January 1930. Consul-General, Beirut,
August 1931. Charge d’Affaires and Consul-General
at Jedda, August 1933, but did not take up post.
Appointed Minister for Defence under Naji Shaukat,
November 1932. Resigned with Naji Shaukat’s
Cabinet in March 1933. Elected President of the
Chamber of Deputies November 1933 after resigna
tion of Jamil-al-Madfai. Reappointed Minister of
Defence in February 1934, resigned with Jamil-al-
Madfai’s Cabinet in August 1934. Re-elected
President of the Chamber in December 1934. Again
appointed Minister for Defence in Jamil-al-Madfai’s
Cabinet in March 1935, but resigned with the whole
Cabinet after being only twelve days in office.
Elected to the Chamber in August 1935 and joined
the Opposition led by Jamil-al-Madfai. Appointed
principal private secretary in the Palace in Septem
ber 1937.
Appointed Director-General of the Ministry for
Foreign Affairs bv Nuri-al-Said’s Cabinet in Januarv
1939.
Placed on pension in the autumn of 1941.
102. Rauf-al-Bahrani
A Shiah of Bagdad, born about 1897. Graduated
at the Bagdad Law School and was appointed to a
clerical post in the Ministry of Finance, where he
rose to be Accountant-General (not altogether by
merit). Appointed Minister for Finance in Yasin
Pasha’s Cabinet in March 1935.
Resigned October 1936.
Appointed Director-General of Customs and
Excise, January 1938. Became Minister of Finance
in February 1940 and of Social Affairs in March.
Resigned with Rashid Ali and his Cabinet in
January 1941 and joined Rashid Ali’s rebel Govern
ment in April 1941. Fled to Tehran when British
troops approached Bagdad towards the end of May
1941 and was arrested by the British forces which
occupied Persia in August. After a period of deten
tion at Ahwaz he was sent to Southern Rhodesia in