§ Mr. F. Maclean (by Private Notice) asked the Minister of State if he will make a statement regarding the abduction from Ismailia on 9th July of Leading Aircraftman A. V. Rigden.
§ Mr. Selwyn LloydYes, Sir. Leading Aircraftman Rigden is believed to have been abducted from a hotel in the centre of Ismailia by two Egyptians on the night of Thursday, 9th July. The British Military Authorities had strong grounds for believing that one of the two Egyptians seen with Rigden at the time of his abduction was an Egyptian officer and that the Egyptian authorities therefore knew about the incident. A British 1721 officer accordingly visited the Sub-Governor of Ismailia on 10th July to try and secure the co-operation of the Egyptian authorities to recover Rigden.
Since by the following day nothing effective had been done by the Egyptian authorities, the officer commanding the Northern Area of the Zone, on instructions from the General Officer Commanding British Troops in Egypt, visited the Sub-Governor of Ismailia and informed him that unless Rigden was returned by 9 a.m. on 13th July General Festing reserved the right to take certain measures which were bound to cause inconvenience to a large number of inhabitants in the Area.
Rigden has not been returned and measures have therefore been taken as from 9 a.m. this morning to stop and search all traffic entering or leaving Ismailia by road or rail.
In addition, Her Majesty's Embassy have made urgent representations to the Egyptian Government.
§ Mr. MacleanIs the Minister aware that these measures will commend widespread approval?