Türkiye’s National Intelligence Organization (MİT) has published an archival intelligence document concerning Thomas Edward Lawrence, the British officer and intelligence figure widely known as “Lawrence of Arabia.”
Dated Sept. 23, 1929, the document was prepared by the then national security service directorate and circulated to senior military and government offices of the period.
According to the report, Lawrence operated in Egypt, Syria and Iraq by frequently changing his appearance and using different aliases.
The document states that he traveled across the region under assumed identities and disguised himself in various forms to carry out intelligence activities.
It claims that Lawrence spent time in Egypt under a religious alias before moving on to Syria and Iraq, later appearing unexpectedly in Jerusalem and subsequently traveling to Khartoum, Sudan.
During his time in Jerusalem, the document alleges that he used different disguises — including as a Muslim religious teacher and as a Jewish religious figure — to approach local Muslim and Jewish communities separately.
The intelligence assessment says he sought to influence these communities through provocative messaging, with the aim of increasing tensions in Palestine.
According to the document, British intelligence circles were dissatisfied with existing political arrangements in Egypt and Palestine.
It suggests that unrest was encouraged to undermine plans for greater political autonomy, particularly regarding Palestine, and to argue that local populations were not ready for independence.
The report also describes Sudan as a strategic base for organizing unrest in Egypt, citing its administrative ties and geographic connection.
It claims that trained agents could be moved from Sudan into Egypt to carry out propaganda and destabilizing activities.
This archival insight adds a new layer to the legacy of Lawrence, a prominent historical figure whose life and regional influence inspired the world-renowned 1962 film “Lawrence of Arabia."
