Agency Executive Has Not Agreed to Cooperate with British Against Terrorists, Kaplan Says

“We have not agreed to cooperate with the government in fighting terrorism, although we were opposed to terror before the London conferences began and will be after they have concluded,” Eliezer Kaplan, treasurer of the Jewish Agency who recently returned from London where he participated in the talks with the British Government, said in Tel Aviv at a pre-election mass meeting called by the Palestine Labor Party.

Replying to persistent rumors that the Agency negotiators in London had agreed to join in the government fight on terrorists in return for the release of the Agency leaders in Latrun prison, Kaplan stated that “we will fight terror in our own way, but we did not promise anything as the price for release of the persons in Latrun.” He reported that when he saw High Commissioner Sir Alan Cunningham last week, the latter demanded Agency cooperation in crushing terrorism, but was told that cooperation is impossible under the present circumstances.

The Stern Group today distributed leaflets in which they assumed responsibility for the blasts in Jerusalem on Thursday evening during which 12 British soldiers were injured. One of the wounded died last night.

RAF planes and naval patrols were reported operating off shore today following reports that three Jewish blockade runners were nearing Palestine. The curfew in Jerusalem is still being vigorously enforced, although it will be lifted for tomorrow night to enable fullest participation in the voting for representatives to the Zionist Congress.

An unconfirmed report tonight said that Col. Richard Wobb, who delivered an anti-Semitic harangue to several correspondents brought to his headquarters on Thursday night, has been suspended. Military headquarters announced yesterday that they were investigating the incident.