Aman A-387 Page 1 UNCLASSIFIED Enclosure No. 1 Page 1 Text of ad-Difaa article, June 17, 1968 SIRHAN'S FATHER IN AMMAN: A TAIK TO "AD DIFAA" AT MIDNIGHT SIRIHAN's FATHER in AMMAN; A TAIX TO "Ad DIFAAM" AT MIDNIGHT At 2:00 p.m. yesterday, ad-Diifaa learned that Mr. Bishara Sirhan, father of Sirirhan Sirhan , accused of assassinating Senator Robert Kennedy, arrived in Aman from the West Bank of a permit issued by the occupation authorities, It is said that Mr Sirhan has come to Amman to clear up certain financial ad-Difaa searched high and low for him. In what hotel with 10:00 pm. In whose house was a guest? At Last, we found him at the Hotel Continental. Our reporter, Salah as As-Assad, who spent over two hours with Mr. Biharara Sirhan, wrote the following interview. Bishara Sifhan was sitting calmly and talking confidently. You could detect in his tone parental emotions. The 52-year old man said, "The murder of Senator Kennedy saddened me because he was from the Kennedy family, but the picture has a second face ... " "Which ... " ... " "The political face ... for the Senator was also an American politician, so on this I have a view to express." "I believe that the imbalance in Senator Kennedy's speeches while electioneering for the Presidency was the primary cause of what happened." "I "Please ... " "How ... "?" "We was promising certain parties to supply them with arms and aircraft with full awareness of the consequences of that promise. Its consequences would full displacement of children, more orphans and more widows. This is in addition to the degradation of and contempt for the Arabs in his speeches, a thing that made my son Sirhan feel insulted in that society where Senator Kennedy was speaking. And this is what pushed my son to act as he did. Had the late senator been reserved and merely called for peace in the Middle East, no late Senate was reserved and were merely called to peace in this Middle East. "Are you furious with Sirhan?" "In the first moments after I learned of the incident I was furious." "And now?" "My heart and mind are now with him. I believe that world opinion and human conscience will stand by him." UNCLASSIFIED

Summary  
The documents detail international reactions to Senator Robert F. Kennedy’s assassination on June 5, 1968, including memorial services, condolences from foreign governments, and U.S. government investigations into Sirhan Sirhan, the alleged assassin. Arabic-language articles and telegrams reference Sirhan’s father, Bishara Sirhan, who criticized U.S. Middle East policies and claimed his son sought a fair trial abroad. FBI reports note Sirhan’s movements between 1964–1966 and his father’s financial support for legal aid. Soviet media coverage in London and Addis Ababa linked the assassination to broader critiques of U.S. political violence, Vietnam policy, and racial discrimination. U.S. embassies in Senegal, Spain, and Nigeria documented local media responses, memorial services, and condolences from leaders like President Leopold Senghor of Senegal and Niger’s Diori Hamani. Turkish authorities hosted memorials in Ankara, Istanbul, and Adana, while Jordanian officials provided information on Sirhan’s family background.  

Key People  
- **Sirhan Sirhan**: Alleged assassin of RFK; described as a "model boy" by his father, Bishara Sirhan.  
- **Bishara Sirhan**: Father of Sirhan Sirhan; interviewed in Amman, Jordan; criticized U.S. Middle East policies.  
- **Lilly Yussef Mikhalah Abu Khader**: Wife of Sirhan Sirhan; married to him in Salt, Jordan, in 1957.  
- **Kenneth Kaunda**: President of Zambia; delivered a speech mourning RFK’s death and criticizing U.S. government inaction.  
- **Leopold Senghor**: President of Senegal; sent telegrams expressing condolences to the Kennedy family.  
- **Manuel Fraga**: Spanish Information Minister; issued a statement justifying state control over political dissent.  
- **Diori Hamani**: President of Niger; condemned political assassinations and referenced symbolic significance of "Kennedy Bridge" in Niamey.  

Key Locations  
- **Amman, Jordan**: Sirhan’s father resided here; interviews and family background details provided.  
- **Ankara, Istanbul, Adana, Turkey**: Hosted RFK memorial services by U.S. embassies and Turkish officials.  
- **Salt, Jordan**: Site of Sirhan’s marriage to Lilly Yussef Mikhalah Abu Khader.  
- **Dakar, Senegal**: Memorial services held at Eglise du Monsignor Mariani and a French Protestant church; over 285 individuals signed an Embassy condolence book.  
- **Madrid, Spain**: Requiem mass attended by over 2,000 people; Spanish media divided on U.S. democracy flaws.  
- **Niamey, Nigeria**: Memorial references to "Kennedy Bridge"; President Diori Hamani expressed condolences.  
- **London, UK**: Soviet media analysis of U.S. political violence and policies linked to the assassination.  
- **Addis Ababa, Ethiopia**: Excerpts from Soviet Daily News discussing U.S. Vietnam policy and racial discrimination.  

Key Events  
- **RFK’s assassination (June 5, 1968)**: Covered in condolences, memorials, and international media analysis.  
- **Memorial services**: Held in Ankara, Istanbul, Adana, Dakar, Madrid, and Niamey; included diplomatic and public participation.  
- **FBI investigation**: Probed Sirhan’s travels (1964–1966) and his constitutional rights for a trial abroad.  
- **Soviet media coverage**: Framed RFK’s death as part of U.S. political violence trends, linking it to Vietnam policy and racial issues.  
- **International condolences**: Received from Zambia, Senegal, Spain, Nigeria, and South Africa; included telegrams and public statements.  
- **Sirhan’s father’s statements**: Criticized Kennedy’s anti-Arab rhetoric and sought international support for his son’s defense.  

Key Organizations  
- **U.S. Department of State**: Coordinated memorial arrangements, provided telegrams on investigations, and documented foreign reactions.  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Conducted inquiries into Sirhan’s activities abroad and legal proceedings.  
- **Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)**: Mentioned in intelligence assessments on Sirhan’s reliability as a source.  
- **Soviet Union**: Published media analyses linking U.S. policies to the assassination; included articles in London and Addis Ababa.  
- **Jordanian authorities**: Provided information on Sirhan’s family background and movements.  
- **Turkish government**: Hosted memorials and issued statements mourning RFK’s death.  
- **Senegalese media outlets**: Covered the assassination extensively, including Radio Senegal broadcasts.  
- **Spanish government**: Issued statements by Manuel Fraga on political dissent control.  
- **Nigerian government**: Condemned political assassinations and referenced symbolic landmarks in Niamey.

RFK Declassified Files

pol_6_us_kennedy_06_15_1968_senator_robert_f._kennedy-part_5_of_6.pdf

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