A three-man military court at Sarafand today found 12 of 15 Israeli youths guilty of membership in a terrorist underground organization and five of the twelve guilty of another charge of participating in the activities of the illegal organization.
One of the 15, Chaim Riklin, 22, was acquitted for lack of evidence. One of the defendants escaped from jail during the trial and another had his case severed because of ill health. Membership in the organization carries a maximum sentence of five years in jail, while activity is punishable by 20 years imprisonment.
No sentences were announced today. The sentencing will await the judges’ hearing of character witnesses. The testimony of such witnesses may bring mitigation of sentence.
The court said that it had found several of the defendants guilty of having set fire to the cars of the Soviet and Czech Ministers in Tel Aviv. However, the court made no mention of the blasting of the Soviet Legation in Tel Aviv last February, although the prosecutor had stated that the government believed Yaacov Heruti, chief defendant, had placed the charge.
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