IOR/L/PS/10/839

The volume contains weekly police reports from the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Baghdad, covering events in Iraq [sometimes referred to in the volume as Mesopotamia] under British occupation in 1919-20, including during the Iraqi Revolt. The reports contain intelligence about the movements and activities of various individuals and groups known or believed to be opposed to the British occupation, and about opinions, rumours and activities among the general populace. They also contain copies of newspaper reports, pamphlets and posters covering the occupation, the Revolt and Iraqi independence.

The reports are primarily focused on supporters of Iraqi independence and general anti-British feeling and activities. They also cover:

• Support for a united Arab state including Iraq, Syria, Palestine and Lebanon, and support for the same also including the Hejaz and Yemen
• Support for Iraq to return to Ottoman rule
• Activities of Bolsheviks [Communists, also referred to as Bolshevists in the volume] in Iraq
• Anti-British and pro-independence alliances between Shia and Sunni Muslims, and between Muslims, Christians and Jews
• Reactions to the San Remo Conference, 19-26 April 1920, which determined League of Nations mandates over Iraq, Palestine and Syria.

Much of the intelligence within the reports is unsubstantiated or based on rumour, and the volume also contains correspondence concerning the potential usefulness of the reports.

As well as the Assistant Commissioner, the primary correspondents are: the Civil Commissioner, Mesopotamia; the Military Governor of Baghdad; the Foreign Office; and the India Office.

The volume contains a single folio in Arabic, a poem by Ma’ruf al Risari [Maruf al Rusafi] (f 175).

The volume includes a divider which gives the subject number, the year the subject file was opened, the subject heading, and a list of correspondence references by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence.