The prosecution rest its case in the Boushicki murder trial today after Norwegian security police investigators and the sister of one of the defendants, Dan Aerbel, testified behind closed doors. Informed sources said officials hoped to complete the trial by the end of the week and may hold extra sessions Saturday and Sunday to complete the questioning of witnesses. Closing statements by the prosecution and defense are expected over the weekend after which the special jury of three judges and four laymen will retire, probably on Monday to consider their verdict.
Six persons who State Prosecutor Haakon Wikon alleged were members of an official Israeli counter-terrorist organization bent on avenging Arab terrorist attacks, are charged with the slaying of a Moroccan waiter, Ahmed Boushicki, in the resort town of Lillehammer in eastern Norway last summer.
The six have admitted following Boushicki in hopes of gathering information about Arab terrorist groups but all have denied involvement in his murder. Some of the defendants have admitted entering Norway on forged passports. All face maximum sentences of life imprisonment if convicted.
Testimony was heard yesterday from Mrs. Torill Boushicki, 24, the murder victim’s widow who described as “absurd” allegations that her husband was a member of the Black September gang. She told the court that Boushicki was “more interested in music than politics.” She described the slaying which occurred when the couple returned home from a movie on a Saturday night last July.
“Two men jumped out of a car, and I’m sure at least one of them had a pistol with a silencer,” Mrs. Boushicki said. “I heard a series of muffled bangs and threw myself to the ground.” Another eye-witness, Mrs. Dagny Bring, testified having seen only one gunman.
A former telephone number of Israeli army intelligence headquarters in Tel Aviv was inadvertently revealed during the trial this week arousing cries of anguish from several of the defendants. The number, Tel Aviv 25-62-30 was mentioned by Aerbel under questioning. Journalists here who tried to call the number were greeted by a recording saying it had been changed. No new number was given in the recording.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
