CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN - 1957/01/06

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Current/Central Intelligence Bulletin Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 02063771
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2019
• Document Release Date: December 20, 2019
• Publication Date: January 6, 1957

A,pproved for Release, 2019/12/04 CO2063771,
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CURRENT
� INTELLIGENCE
BULLETIN
3.3(h)(2)
3.5(c)
6 January 1957
Copy No.
131
1 DOCUMENT NO.
NO CHANGE IN CLASS. "e
DECLASS!;'-'!FD
CLASS. CHANGED TO: TS 1:3004C
NEXT FIEVEVI DATE:
, DAAuTTIH: H 70-
REVIEWER:
OFFICE OF CURRENT INTELLIGENCE
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
TOP SECRET
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CONTENTS
1. DEMONSTRATIONS AGAINST US INSTALLATIONS IN
ALGIERS REPORTED LIKELY (page 3).
2, BRITAIN CONSIDERING REDUCTION IN LIBYAN COM-
MITMENT (page 4).
3. IRAQ REDUCING FORCES AT IRAQI-JORDANIAN BORDER
(page 5),
4. ISRAELI MOVES TO STRENGTHEN CONTROL OF GULF
OF AQABA (page 6).
5. SITUATION IN INDONESIA
(page 7).
6. LIBYA REPORTEDLY INCREASING ROLE IN ALGERIAN
ARMS TRAFFIC (page 8).
6 Jan 57
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 2
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1, DEMONSTRATIONS AGAINST US INSTALLATIONS IN
ALGIERS REPORTED LIKELY
The American consulate general in
Algiers has been informed by reliable
sources that US installations in that
city would again be a target for attacks
during January. The local French ad-
ministration has indicated an awareness of such reports
and has offered police protection.
Comment
Settler frustration and exasperation over
France's failure to suppress rebel terror-
ism has recently taken an increasingly anti-American orien-
tation. On 29 December, European extremists, who subse-
quently attacked Moslems at random throughout Algiers,
demonstrated angrily for about an hour in front of the con-
sulate general. The premises were not entered, but the
consular seal and brass plaque were torn down and defaced
while the police, who were present, remained largely inac-
tive.
6 Jan 57
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 3
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2. BRITAIN CONSIDERING REDUCTION IN
LIBYAN COMMITMENT
Britain must "pull in her horns" in Libya,
and is likely to begin withdrawing ground
forces ,a,nd reducing the subsidy to the Libyan government by
not later than 1958. Similarly, Britain does not expect to pay
a subsidy to Jordan much longer.
hope that the United States would "take up some of the slack"
in both cases.
Britain will
not "give way" in the Persian Gulf sheikdoms, where its last
"really" vital interests in the Middle East--apart from the
Suez Canal--are located.
Comment Following Libya's request for revision of
the Anglo- Libyan treaty in November,
London has been reassessing its policy there and has appar-
ently concluded that, in view of financial difficulties, the use-
fullness of the British military base is insufficient to justify
continued aid at the current fiscal year's record high of
$11,400,0000 Libya is seeking to achieve a reduction of the
8,100 British troops there and a parallel increase in its own
army. The British still intend to fulfill their prior commit-
ment to assist the expansion and training of the Libyan army,
but for some months past have sought to increase American
interest in Libya.
Since last March, London has increas-
ingly questioned whether Jordan's existence as a state would
still contribute to Britain's primary purpoSe of preserving
it� oil interests in Iraq and the Persian Gulf principalities.
6 Jan 57
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 4
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3. IRAQ REDUCING FORCES AT IRAQI-JORDANIAN BORDER
Comment on:
Iraq has begun to reduce its forces at
H-3 pumping station near the Jordan-
Iraq frontier. This confirms earlier
indications that Iraq considers that for
the present it cannot influence the in-
creasingly hostile trend in Jordan and Syria by maintain-
ing a concentration of troops near their borders.
The Iraqi 19th Brigade of about 3,000
men was withdrawn in mid-December from Jordan to the
vicinity of H-3. According to the deputy chief of staff of
the Iraqi army, this brigade commenced moving on 3 Jan-
uary from H-3 to its home station 30 miles north of Baghdad.
It now appears that H-3 will be manned only on a standby
basis with a motorized battalion and one company of the 14th
Brigade- -about 1,000 men.
Internal unrest in Iraq, which has been
encouraged by Egypt and Syria, was possibly a factor in the
decision to return some troops to home garrisons.
6 Jan 57
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 5
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4. ISRAELI MOVES TO STRENGTHEN CONTROL OF
GULF OF AQABA
Israel's intention to maintain undisputed
control over the Gulf of Aqaba and pre-
vent renewal of the Egyptian blockade
�there is evidenced by a report from Tel
Aviv that a tnira trigate is en route to Eilat via the Cape
of Good Hope. Following seizure of the Sinai shore of the
gulf from Egyptian forces in November 1956, two Israeli
frigates were sent to Eilat from the Mediterranean�report-
edly refueling at French facilities in Africa en route. From
five to eight small amphibious craft, which may have been
shipped overland, are also reported at Eilat.
The French landing ship dock Foudre,
was observed at the Israeli Mediterranean port of Haifa on
2 January loading landing craft "for an African port!' The
reporting agency comments that the Foudie may tfansport
the landing craft, and possibly motor torpedo boats, to Eilat
because of the difficulty in moving such craft overland through
the Negev.
Israel has indicated that by 10 January its
forces which fought in Egypt will have been withdrawn to the
vicinity of El Arish on the Mediterranean and to a zone in
eastern Sinai which includes the western shore of the Gulf of
Aqaba. It will probably resist further significant withdrawals
pending receipt of what it considers an effective guarantee of
its rights in the area--including free transit of the Gulf of
Aqaba.
6 Jan 57
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 6
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LUINITILQIN 11AL
5. SITUATION IN' INDONESIA
Comment on:
The decision of the Masjumi on 5 Janu-
ary not to implement its threat to with-
draw from the cabinet gives Premier Ali's
coalition government a new lease on life.
The Masjumi action was based both on a
reluctance to accept virtual isolation in
opposition to a Communist-supported re-
gime and on offers of attractive political
"plums:"
This development, however, may turn out
to be only a reprieve for Ali, as the prob-
lem of Sumatran disaffection remains. Col.
Simbolon has ignored the deadline for his
surrender and has indicated that he will nego-
tiate only with a personal representative of President Sukarno
and only in Sumatra. Lt, Col. Hussein, the dissident com-
mander in central Sumatra, has declared that he will meet force
with force. Other ranking officers in North Sumatra, while de-
claring their allegiance to Sukarno and army chief of staff
Nasution, have pointedly omitted any reference to either the
central government or Lt. Col. Ginting, its military commander
in the area.
6 Jan 57
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 7
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6. LIBYA REPORTEDLY INCREASING ROLE IN ALGERIAN
ARMS TRAFFIC
yan government has taken over
arms for the Algerian rebels brought to
Libya under control of the Egyptian mil-
itary attach�n Tripoli, and is now fa-
erians. actualdelivery is usually
ma � e � y urns= au on les w o take charge of shipments
at the Libyan-Tunisian border. One such shipment, involv-
ing 50 cases of ammunition for British-make rifles, left
Tripoli for Algeria on 28 December.
Comment The former Egyptian military attach�
in Tripoli, who was forcibly ejected by
the Libyan government in mid-November for "acts preju-
dicial to tie international security of Libya," had long been
identified as Egypt's chief
agent in Libya for clandestine arms shipments to Algeria.
An Algerian nationalist reported last
month that the rebels had recently received numerous arms
shipments from Egypt via Libya, These were said to have
been arranged by Mohamed Bachir, the permanent repre-
sentative in Tripoli of the Algerian National Liberation
Front.
6 Jan 57
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 8
�TOP�SEPRIFT
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