§ Mr. SWANasked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that persons in the streets and private houses in Egypt are being constantly searched; that amongst the houses searched on 13th June was the 398W house of Mohammed Sidky Pasha, ex-Adviser to the Cairo Court of Appeal; that in this instance, when no arms were found, those who carried out the search confiscated a photograph of Zaghloul Pasha; that photographs of Zaghloul Pasha sold in the streets are being confiscated by the authorities; whether these searches are made under martial law, for which His Majesty's Government are responsible; and, if so, what authority have the British military authorities in Egypt to order the Egyptian police, through the Egyptian Govomment, to effect such searches?
Mr. HARMSWORTHI am not aware of the precise steps being taken by the Egyptian Government, with the collaboration of the British military authorities, to trace those responsible for the recent dastardly murders of British subjects in Egypt. In the hope, however, of preventing the recurrence of such crimes, a Proclamation was issued under martial law on 22nd February authorising the military and police forces to search any persons or premises for firearms.