'File 61/11 V (D 95) Hejaz - Nejd, Miscellaneous' [‎188r] (392/530)

11
!NJ
ofii;.: 22. 'All al 'Amdri.
Hj|| Of Nejdi origin, but settled in the Hejaz before Ibn Sa'ud conquered it.
Probably about 50. Formerly a merchant. Became Director of Customs in Jedda
in 1926 and, later, Inspector-General of Customs. Feathered his nest and put a
good deal of money into building a house, which he presented or sold to the King,
but for which, if the latter is the case, he has never been paid. This is the house
1 atycalled the "Green Palace" outside Jedda. Appointed member of an
s %y Inspectorate of Government Departments in 1930 and Assistant Governor of
Jedda early in 1931. Exercised some authority in this post, but does not appear
e,lr isii to count for much nowadays. Probably a rascal, but cheery even now that he has
gone poor again.
23. 'Alt Ridha Family (or Reza as they spell it themselves in English).
^ ,, A rich merchant family in Jedda, of Persian origin. Have very important
^■'i business connexions in India and elsewhere, and are agents for the Turner
JSC !p Morrison Line, which has a monopoly of transporting pilgrims from India by
I J 1 ; 1 : sea. The best known members of the family were Zeynal 'All Eidha, who died
ai some years ago, his son Qasim, formerly a M.P. in Turkey and a man of parts,
leil W|and 'Abdullah 'All Ridha, who combined business with the post of Governor of
Jedda from King Huseyn's time until he died in 1932. The principal members
of the family now in Jedda are :—
(1) Yusuf ihn Zeynal 'All Ridha, a pleasant man of 45 or 50, who has been
in of ^ much in India; and
iediitiH Muhammad ihn 'Abdullah 'Ali Ridha, a bullet-headed but agreeable lad
^ of little more than 20.
edgei!; Other members of the family are met with elsewhere. The family has Syrian
wasiiifamily connexions, 'Abdullah having married a Syrian or Syro-Persian lady, and
eaitiSj his son Mohammad having married last year the daughter of a well-known but
imif decayed Syrian merchant in Jedda, Sadiq al Khoja. The latter is also connected
•befoul with Huseyn Awayni (q.v.).
con
Mm 24- A li Taha.
xtoErl Assistant Governor of Jedda since 1928, and, in addition. Assistant Under-
itimcff Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs since early in 1932. A Hejazi of
Wt about 40. Rose from a small post as secretary to the Governor. Cadaverous
i Sb and unhealthy, with a mouthful of gold teeth. Speaks Turkish well. Well
meaning, and not without intelligence, but frightened of his own shadow.
Completely ineffective, except on the rarest possible occasions, in connexion with
foreign affairs. Normally serves as no more than a transmitter of messages to
and from Mecca.
25. M. Amin Shanqiti.
miljtit: Said to be a recent import from Shanqit, somewhere in North-West Africa,
^ofc, At one time resided in Mecca, and became later a member of the Idrisi's Council,
J# apparently with the sanction of Ibn Sa'ud. Was a signatory in this capacity of
jg p ec i|; the decision which signed 'Asir away to Ibn Sa'ud in October 1930. Latterly
! SODS ifi concerned in anti-Sa'udi activities in connexion with 'Asir. Came to notice in
10; that connexion in July 1932, when it was reported that he had returned to
'Amman from Damascus, whither he had gone on the Amir 'Abdullah's business
and to be a bone of contention between the Amir and his Government. Seems to
have been back in 'Asir at the time of the rebellion of November-December 1932.
26. M. A min Tamimi.
Dg A Palestinian from Hebron, son of an official at Tulkaram. Came to the
}(# Hejaz in 1927. Had known Fuad Hamza in Palestine, and was employed by
rf him in the Sa'udi Ministry for Foreign Affairs. Attached to Sheykh 'Abdul-
0' 'Aziz Ibn Zeyd for the purpose of the MacDonnell enquiry, and left with him in
August 1930. Fell out with his chief, and was accused inter alia oi selling a
cypher. Returned separately to the Hejaz and was re-employed in the Ministry
jajii; for Foreign Affairs. Was probably still protected by Fuad Hamza, but left the
)$/ Ministry in or about May 1931, and served for a short time with Sharqieh
[8861] c 2