ملف ١٩١٦/٣٣٦٠ الجزء ١ "مراسلات بلاد فارس (١٩١٦-١٩١٧)" [و‎‎٨‎٣] (٨٠٤/١٧٠)

5
34
No. C.-22, dated Meshed, the Ilth May (received 8th June) 1917 (Confidential).
From-W RN ANT.CoLON E L W. G. Grey, His Britannic Majesty's Consul-
General and Agent of the Government of India in Khorasan,
To—-The Hon'ble Mr A H. Grant, C.S.I., C.I.E., Foreign Secretary to the
Government of India in the Foreign and Political Department.
In continuation of my telegram No. 33-C., dated 5th May 1917, I have
the honour to submit the following report in connection with the German
messengers and their secret agent in Meshed who have recently been captured.
The two letters carried by one of the messengers, and a statement made by
Abd-ul-Wahab, the agent referred to, forms enclosures (i) and (ii) to this
despatch.
2. As mentioned in my diary No. 18, Saiyid Husain bin Saiyid Bahira»
the first messenger, was arrested at Karez and sent in to Meshed by our
agent there. He was in the employ of Haji Ghulam Husain, the Herat
chemist, spoken of in my letter to His Majesty’s Minister at Tehran, a copy
of which was sent to you with my letter No. C.-12, dated 22nd March last,
and had been procured by him for this mission at the request of Wagner’s
servants. Whether the Haji intended to help the German party or to help
us according to his promise, or both, is doubtful; but it is certain that from
personal experience and knowledge of the fate which befell Ahmad
Barbari on his last venture he must have been perfectly well assured that
Baiyid Husain’s chances of escaping detection on the Karez route were very
small, and that travelling without a passport would not help him. It is also
significant that Saiyid Hussain declined to travel with Ahmad Barbari, the
second messenger.
3. Saiyid Husain on arrival here handed over £ 10 in gold which
had been entrusted to him by the German party for delivery to the agent
Abd-ul-Wahab to whom Ahmad Barbari, the second messenger, was to
introduce him; and informed us of the approximate date and hour at which
he was to meet Ahmad, who was coming by another route, in the Meshed
Shrine. Arrangements were made to arrest Ahmad, and this was done with
out difficulty at the proposed rendezvous. He denied having brought letters,
but admitted having met Abd-ul-Wahab, the man to whom he was to intro
duce Saiyid Husain, earlier in the day. Abd-ul-Wahab was duly arrested in
the caravanserai indicated by Ahmad as his residence and brought to this
office where his effects were examined.
4. Among them letter No. 1 was found. Abd-ul-Wahab at first denied
that any other had been given to him, but after some persuasion admitted
that a second letter from the same writer had been handed over by Ahmad
Barbari which he had concealed in the flooring of his room at the caravanserai.
This having been unearthed proved to be the attached letter No. 2 ; and the
reason for particular care having been shewn in guarding it, with that for the
despatch ot cash for Abd-ul-Wahab, are eTident from its contents. I he
arrest of Ahmad Barbari and Abd-ul-Wahab, and the discovery of the letters,
reflect credit upon Jamadar Sharbat Ali Khan and Barash Murad Ah, the
assistants of Lieutenant-Colonel Redl, General Staff Officer, Intelligence, who
were charged with these duties.
5. Ahmad Barhari appears on this occasion to have travelled by rail
via Merv and Kahka, and thence to Meshed on foot; and his 0l!0U P' e
about the same time as that of Saiyid Husain / h ®f c 1 ‘ e0 ^ 0U t t h e e -
It was not expected by us for several reasons, not the least of which was
fni - lnrA hie Hof mission, that Ahmad would return to Herat, and it came
a m prise o fl nd that he had done so. He did not give Wagner any m orm-
a sm prise to nna • bl se to him and would scarcely be able to do
ation that could be ot appreciate use uu . remaining
so now, but I think that he had better be sent to ^ tbe
period of the war, and will refer this question to you by telegraph.