§ 29. Mr. Emrys Hughesasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the circumstances under which aircraft dropped bombs in the Aberdare mountains in Kenya on 30th April; and to what extent it is proposed to continue such bombing operations.
§ Mr. LytteltonHarvard aircraft of the R.A.F. dropped bombs on a known hiding place of a terrorist gang in a prohibited area of the Aberdaires, and also machine-gunned the area. Such operations require the personal permission of the Director of Operations and will only be authorised against the Mau Mau where targets can be clearly identified, and when there is no risk to the law abiding.
§ Mr. Emrys HughesCan the right hon. Gentleman give us any figures of casualties?
§ Mr. LytteltonI have no further report about this operation by the Harvard aircraft, but I shall have one shortly.
§ Mr. ManuelCan the right hon. Gentleman say whether any steps were taken before the bombing took place to ascertain whether innocent people, such as women and children, were in the region?
§ Mr. LytteltonThe hon. Gentleman could not have been listening to my answer. I said specifically that it was 372 a known hiding place of a terrorist gang in a prohibited area, which means that every precaution was taken to prevent any law-abiding people from being hurt by the raid.