CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN - 1953/09/25

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Current/Central Intelligence Bulletin Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 02869415
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: July 15, 2019
• Document Release Date: July 22, 2019
• Publication Date: September 25, 1953

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SEC INFORMATION
25 September 1953
Copy No. 67
CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN
DOCUMENT NO. /e
NO CHANGE IN CLASS. V
t:1 DECLASSIFIED
CLASS. CHANGED TO: TS S C
NEXT REVIEW DATE ,e.�C)09
AUTH: HR 70-2
DATE: /94R/T9 REVIEWER
3.5(c)
Office of Current Intelligence
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
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SECURITY INFORMATION
SUMMARY
GENERAL
1. Britain considering proposals for East-West mutual security
arrangements (page 3).
SOUTHEAST ASIA
2. Darul Islam participates in North Sumatran revolt (page 3).
SOUTH ASIA
3.
4,
5.
6.
7.
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NEAR EAST - AFRICA
Iranian air forcp nlanps sahntarrprl (naar.
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Tunisian Communists open country-wide youth campaign (page 6).
Moroccan tribe reportedly clashed with French army (page 7).
WESTERN EUROPE
8. Social Democrats expected to form government in Denmark
(page 7).
LATIN AMERICA
9. Cuban government reportedly expects early revolt (page 8).
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GENERAL
1. Britain considering proposals for East-West mutual security
arrangements:
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The British Foreign Office is considering
three alternative versions of an East-West
mutual security pact for possible discussion
at the proposed four-power meeting at Lugano
next month. The suggestions are: (1) a protocol to the North Atlantic
Treaty providing for armed action under article 5 against any EDC mem-
ber attacking the USSR or its Satellites; (2) a nonaggression pact between
the EDC and the Soviet bloc with Britain and the United States committed
to aid the victim of aggression; and (3) a mutual assistance treaty among
the Big Four and Germany limited to attacks in either direction across
the frontiers of Germany.
Comment: British officials have stated pre-
viously that none of these alternatives seemed attractive. Particularly
because of Churchill's apparent continued interest in a Locarno-type
pact guaranteeing both East and West against aggression, however, the
Foreign Office holds that the Western powers should try to agree on an
arrangement which would meet "reasonable" Soviet security needs and
would also demonstrate good faith to Western public opinion.
SOUTHEAST ASIA
2. Darul Islam participates in North Sumatran revolt:
The rebellion in Atjeh is being aided by t11.3(h)(2)
Indonesian Islamic army, the military arm
of the outlawed Darul Islam in Java, accord-
ing to the American consul in Medan. The
rebels launched major attacks on seven large centers, and the governor
admits that the situation is serious. Additior,ial troops and planes have
been sent to the area from Java.
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Comment: If the Darul Islam is aiding
the autonomous movement in Atjeh, its activity has been far more
extensive than had been generally recognized. Recent reports have
been received that rebellious groups in Borneo and the Celebes
have links with the Darul Islam. Such a development would provide
the Communists, who allege ties between the Masjumi and Darul
Islam, with additional material for their campaign to discredit the
Masjumi, the government's chief political opposition.
Reports on the revolt in Atjeh are frag-
mentary and confused. The government admits disturbances, but
claims that the situation is "under control."
SOUTH ASIA
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NEAR EAST - AFRICA
4. Iranian air force planes sabotaged:
5.
On 22 September the fighter unit of the
Iranian air force was sabotaged by three
air force officers suspected of Tudeh sym-
pathies, according to a source with good
contacts in the air force. The attempt to
burn two hangars at the Tehran airfield
failed, but the saboteurs succeeded in
cutting the electrical control wires on
ten F-47 fighters and three T-6 trainers. Only one F-47 and two
T-6's reportedly remain operative.
These planes had been scheduled to drop
leaflets over Qashqai tribal territory on 23 September, calling on
the tribe to support the shah.
Comment: This appears to be the first
major Tudeh sabotage. Reportedly Prime Minister Zahedi will
publicly accuse the Tudeh, former prime minister Mossadeq and
others of complicity. He is also ordering the purge of all Tudeh
and other dangerous elements from the armed forces within one
week.
Though the Qashqai have been linked with
pro-Mossadeq and occasionally with Tudeh elements, they probably
were not implicated in this sabotage.
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6. Tunisian Communists open country-wide youth campaign:
A recently organized Communist cell at
the Grand Mosque school in Tunis is re-
cruiting Moslem youth to form the nucleus
of groups which they plan to establish in
sedondary schools throughout Tunisia, according to an official at
the Grand Mosque. Leaders of this campaign reportedly hope to
have cells in operation by early October, the beginning of the
school year.
Comment: Communism, though legal,
has not enjoyed notable success in Tunisia, and most of its top
leaders have been imprisoned since early 1952. Organizers may
operate without police interference so long as they do not disturb
the national "peace and security."
The prolonged tension and dissatisfaction
which prevails in Tunisia provides a receptive atmosphere for Com-
munist propaganda. Organizers have been increasingly active in
education and cultural institutions since last March, when political
controls were beginning to be somewhat relaxed.
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7. Moroccan tribe reportedly clashed with French army:
The Beni Snassen tribe of northeastern
Morocco, which refuses to recognize the
new sultan of Morocco, engaged French
army units on 14 and 15 September,
The tribesmen reportedly left
more than 1,000 dead when they fled into the mountains.
Comment: The Beni Snassen historically
has been one of the more rebellious and independent of the Berber
tribes. In the past two months, it has been in a state of turbulence
and on 16 August, during the tension preceding the new sultan's en-
thronement, it raided Oujda in eastern Morocco.
French army maneuvers, scheduled for 20
to 22 September in the Oujda area, may have occurred earlier and
have been used as a camouflage to resubjugate this tribe. The French
radio in Brazzaville announced on 23 September that the Snassen had
surrendered to French military forces.
WESTERN EUROPE
8. Social Democrats expected to form government in Denmark:
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The Social Democrats, who won a two-seat 3.3(h)(2)
plurality over the coalition government par-
ties in the 22 September elections, will most
likely form the next Danish government, in
the opinion of the American embassy in Copenhagen. They may, more-
over, attempt to secure effective parliamentary control by forming a
coalition with the Radical Liberals, whose pronounced opposition to
defense measures would make their inclusion "highly disadvantageous
to the attainment of US objectives."
The embassy believes that the election
results indicate Danish public support for the "slow and cautious
international policy" supported by the larger parties rather than
for the neutralism of the.Radical Liberals.
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Comment: The Social Democrats, by far
the largest single party in Denmark, have supported NATO but con-
sistently opposed any steps to man NATO air bases in Denmark with
American air force personnel. Because of this Socialist position the
former Conservative-Moderate Liberal minority government was
virtually unable to expand Danish support for NATO.
LATIN AMERICA
9. Cuban government reportedly expects early revolt:
The Cuban government reportedly expects
a revolutionary attempt between now and
early October.
about 50 navy
and air force officers and enlisted men have been arrested this
week on charges of involvement in a plot to overthrow the present
regime. The plotters allegedly hope to turn the government over
to the Supreme Court and re-establish the 1940 constitution.
Comment: Despite the considerable
popular opposition to the Batista regime, the armed forces have
heretofore been considered a bar to any successful revolutionary
attempt. Of late, however, there have been numerous reports that
military personnel are associated with the various revolutionary
factions. Whether the present disaffection in the armed forces is
sufficient to pose a threat to Batista is not known.
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