On this blog I would like to post on an occasional basis older historical documents predating the time of mass Internet access. As it happens, I have a collection of some old issues of Syrian newspapers and intend to post some articles from these papers with translation. The first of these articles concerns the period in which the Islamist insurgency (led by the Muslim Brotherhood) plagued Syria (1976-1982). The article- produced by the Syrian Arab News Agency and reprinted in the newspaper Tishreen (aligned with the Syrian state)- detailed an explosion allegedly caused by the Muslim Brotherhood insurgency in the Homs area. As can be seen, the Syrian state-aligned press did report on some of the security incidents that occurred during this period.
The article in question was printed in issue 1622 of Tishreen newspaper and is dated Wednesday 15 Dhu al-Q'ida 1400 AH (24 September 1980 CE). It was on the front page of the issue. Any parenthetical insertions in square brackets are my own.
'Three children and innocent wounded and six homes: victims of a new crime of the Ikhwan [Muslim Brotherhood] gang in Homs. They prepared explosives for killing and destruction but they blew up in their den. The masses of Homs demand revenge for the blood of the innocents.
Homs- SANA- at 5:05 p.m. the day before yesterday there occurred a big explosion in the al-Warsha neighbourhood in the area of Bab al-Darib in the city of Homs.
And it became clear that the reason for this explosion is that some of the members of destruction from the criminal gang of the Muslim Brotherhood organisation transferred a quantity of explosives prepared for explosion and destruction when they exploded during their transfer.
And the occurrence of the explosion led to the destruction and collapse of six homes in the aforementioned neighbourhood and the killing of three innocent children and the wounding of three others among them, and the wounding of another citizen from the inhabitants of the neighbourhood with injuries, and the dispersal of the corpse of one of the causers of destruction whose identity has not yet become clear.
And there was found in the place of the event a Mercedes truck vehicle and inside it a number of grenades ready for use, which confirms that the members of the gang used the car to transfer explosives.
And the security apparatuses rushed to the place of the explosion so they cordoned it off and deactivated those grenades.
And the masses of the citizens in the city of Ibn al-Waleed [city of Homs: referring to Khalid bin al-Waleed] condemned this despicable crime that is added to the black record of the gang of the Muslim Brotherhood organisation and took the life of innocent children.
And one of the mothers of the wounded children affirmed that the time has come for the people to avenge all the innocents who have been killed at the hands of this criminal gang that covers itself with the region that is innocent of it.
And from another side an official source in the security apparatuses affirmed that that had the explosion that occurred happened in the street in the area of the neighbourhood of Bab al-Darib in a closed place, there would have resulted from it the fall of dozens of citizens.
And a source said that this criminal event and the likes of it has revealed to the masses of our people the black hidden hatred in the souls of the members of this gang that has engaged in acts of evil, transgression and aggression as a profession: which confirms the extent of its connection and collaboration with imperialism, Zionism and backwardness.'
[Picture caption on top]: 'The children and elderly wounded as a result of the explosion that the murderous gang caused.'
[Picture caption on bottom]: 'The destruction that the explosion caused in the houses of the defenceless inhabitants.'