◆ SpookStack

—He knew 4 authorities after their twelve years of. Inquiries now know that :— Maclean was the active any in the Foreign Mice. In Washington, Cairo, and later in the American Department in London, he secured infor- mation of great value to the Kremlin in the cold war. Burgess was the (2) courler who passed this information on to the Soviet Embassy where it was despatched to Moscow in the diplomatic bag. 3) Philby, himself a Soviet agent, was friendly with Burgess in Washington and knew that he was also a spy. When he heard that Maclean was to be interrogated he warned Burgess. ith the help of the Soviet authorities bot traltors were safely behind the Iron Curtain within a few hours, In dossiers HE. pattern of . events | leading to the escape which has embarrassed the Government ever since is now listed in the official dossiers as follows :— Adverse — reports about Maclean's drunken and un- stable behaviour had been submitted to the Forelgn fice by the security authoritles and ignored. M.15_ continued to shadow him. Suspicion that he was @ traitor grew stronger but there was not enough evidence to arrest him. Grapevine iE: May 1951 M.15 sought Permission’ from _ the Forelgn Office to interro- gate Maclean in the hope that he would break down: | and confess. The decision to interrogate Maclean was supposed to known only about ave People. | Even the head of 5, the ‘late Sir Percy Sillitoe, knew nothing about it. But the security authort- ties now believe that perhaps 50 people learned about it on the Forelen Office grape- vire——Pb¥by, then a First : diploma: Secretary 4 ‘t~tne-Embassy In Washington was one. ao immediately pontacted the Soviet Embassy Washington which signated the Russian Embassy. London. Burgess was quickly contacted and warned. Philby confessed to security men five months 8g0, ozesumably during os tioning in Beirut or ‘alro where he was working. A link HY was he questioned at so late a date? I can suggest one answer. George Blake, the Forelgn Office spy sentenced to years’ imprisonment n't oer was also working near Beirut when recalled to London to be arrested. He may have Indicted Philby in his full Night after night, at Joe’s bar... From PAT ELSTON, Beirut, Monday HILBY ts probably in Czechoslovakia.” This is the view of Leban- ese officials in Beirut, who issued-a-warrant for his arrest today as soon as it was announced that he ‘had been spying for the Russians. An Egyptian, who knew Philby well: from his visits to Calro, claims to have seen him and ‘spoken to him ina Prague restaurant in February. RETURN? But the most persistent rumour here today is that the Philbys might return to Beirut, as he cannot be extradited. There are also reports that Mrs. Philby is with her hus- band and not, as the Foreign Office says, in Britain. “I know where Kim is and am golng to him,” Mrs. baiiby told me two weeks before she left Beirut. “T intend placing the chil+ dren in English boarding- schools, and then I will be free. The necessary arrange- ments have been made.” Althou ugh Philby left the ic service under a cloud, all official open for him here. He knew everyone at the British Embassy and was always vited to official functions. a the night he dis- appeared, he was supposed to be dining with Balfour- Paul, the First Secretary at the embassy. FRIENDS And it was Mr. Paul who saw Mrs. Philby off at Beirut Alrport on May 24. They were extremely close friends. Last night, members of the - embassy staff would not comment on their friendship with Philby. “We have not had the official text of the announce- ment, or advice about the matter yet,” sald John Snodgrass, the attaché in charge of Press affairs. At one time, the British Embassy was located in Pheenicia-street, nearly opposite a bar called Joe's, Philby was seen drinking at” Joe's night after night, He was always talking to the members of the embassy. staff, who would drop in at “their local” after work. Both he and his wife were members of the St. George’s Club, the meeting place for the British communtity——~ Satiic ome Gin hoot ace nae « ve Sate keen, he Eas es AES