Abstract:

British intelligence operated under various names in the Middle East. Especially the 20. At the beginning of the century, they increased their activity in the region. Before the Beginning of World War I, they established a broad intelligence network based in Egypt in the Middle East and Africa. With the beginning of the war, a institution was needed to guide Britain’s activities in the region and its policies towards Muslims outside of India, and to promote the Muslim people in the region in favor of Britain. Therefore, they established an office in Cairo, called the Arab Office, which will gather intelligence for the UK in the region and analyze them to London, India, Sudan and Egypt, and send them to the major colonial centres of the UK. This office had a semi-autonomous structure, which was based on the British Foreign Affairs and the administration of the British Council in Egypt. In the Arab Office, members from a wide range of professions from soldiers, academics, bankers, archaeologists to journalists were employed. The Arab Office continued its activities by focusing on this rebellion after the Sheriff Hussein rebellion. The rebels were provided with weapons, money and training and consultation services.  They made the maps of the area. During the war, they released a secret intelligence magazine called the Arab Bulletin. The information they obtained by carrying out field and intelligence work on the tribes and influential leaders in the region was sent to London. After the war, the Arab Office continued to operate until 1920.