774.11/11–1554: Telegram
No. 1370
The Ambassador in Egypt (Caffery) to the
Department of State1
663. Embassy has received Foreign Office note stating that RCC decide remove Naguib from all his functions, post of President to remain vacant for present.
Action removing Naguib, as noted my telegram 653,2 was based on RCC conviction Naguib had been conniving with Muslim Brotherhood extremists in plans overthrow regime.
Interesting angle today’s press reporting is Al Ahram story that captured Brotherhood documents included plans for forcing government into real battle in Palestine or with British in Canal Zone to enable Muslim Brothers effect coup in Cairo.
Naguib had made no great secret of his opposition to Suez agreement and if given chance would have prevented its ratification for sake of personal political advantage.
Naguib and family now “guests of Government” at [garble] short distance from Cairo. RCC future plans for Naguib not certain and it is likely they will watch public reaction and testimony current Muslim Brotherhood trials before deciding his ultimate disposition. Reactions so far appear mixed. Cairo outwardly calm.
- Repeated to London as telegram 142, to Paris as telegram 20, to Rome as telegram 11, to Ankara as telegram 10, to Amman as 17, to Baghdad as 20, to Beirut as 25, to Damascus as 9, to Jidda as 19, and to Khartoum as 4.↩
- In telegram 653 from Cairo, Nov. 23, not printed, Ambassador Caffery informed the Department that the Egyptian Government planned to announce on Nov. 15 that General Naguib had been removed from the Presidency of the Republic of Egypt. The alleged reasons for his removal were that he had had prior knowledge of the Muslim Brotherhood assassination attempt against Nasir and that he had opposed the Suez agreement in an effort to secure personal political advantage. (774.11/11–1354)↩