The death sentences on the eight Egyptians convicted of the
late Sirdar's 'murder were pronounced in Cairo after ratification by the Grand Mufti. Six of them were perhaps guilty tools and little more. The chief organiser of the details of the crime was an ex-officer. But the truly shocking fact appears that the prime mover, whose guilt was in no doubt whatever, was Dr. Shafik Mansur. He was said to hold an important position in the Wafd parliamentary party, was twice elected a member of Par- liament and was apparently highly regarded by Zaghlul Pasha with whom he was very .closely associated—and this, in spite of the suspicion, to put it as mildly as we can, that he was closely connected with the murder of Butros Pasha and the attempted murder of the Sultan Hussein. Ziwar Pasha and his Government have plainly acted correctly in refusing to impede the course of justice, but the reputation of Zaghlul is bound to suffer in spite of a repudiating letter which appeared in Wednesday's Times and which we cannot refuse to accept. Those who know him well will doubtless acquit him of any criminal knowledge or intention, but his complacency. or blindness towards Shafik Mansur still seem to amount to a crime.
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