Six suspected members of a Syrian-directed Arab-Jewish spy and sabotage ring appeared today before a three judge Haifa court to hear a formal reading of charges against them and to enter their pleas. Five pleaded not guilty, The sixth suspect refused to enter a plea. The trial, scheduled to begin Feb. 25, is expected to be a long one.
Ehud Adiv, a 26-year-old paratroop combat veteran and former member of Kibbutz GanShmuel, who allegedly headed the ring’s Jewish section, pleaded guilty to charges that he passed-intelligence to Syrian agents in Lebanon and Syria and that he contacted a Syrian agent, Anis Kahawagi, in Greece. Adiv pleaded not guilty to charges that he trained in Syria in the use of fire arms and explosives.
A temporary plea of not guilty was entered for Dan Vered. a 28-year-old school teacher who refused to plead at this time. The four Arab defendants pleaded not guilty. They are Daoud Osman Turki, 45, a Haifa bookseller who allegedly headed the ring; Subhi Naarani, 28; Anis Karawi, 23; and Simon Hadad. 34.
The defendants were brought to court this morning under tight security arrangements. The three presiding Judges were E. Slonim, president of the court, Mrs. L. Fortuna and A. Friedman. Judge Slonim permitted close relatives and some press representatives in the courtroom. Other relatives and reporters were directed to an adjacent building where they watched the proceedings by closed circuit television.
Ten charges have been filed against Adiv, nine each against Turki and Karawi, and six each against Vered, Naarani and Hadad. The charges include contact with foreign agents and membership and activity in an illegal organization.
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