One of the Arab convicts who broke jail last week and was wounded in a pitched battle with Israeli policemen was today identified as an Egyptian intelligence agent. He is in a Haifa hospital where his wounds are being treated.
The agent, Ahmed Othman, a graduate of Cairo University who speaks English, French and some Yiddish, approached the Israel Embassy in London in 1957 with an offer to launch an anti-Nasser campaign in Egypt. He arrived in Israel in September of that year when he proposed a plan to carry out sabotage in Egypt.
In Israel, however, he was recognized by former Egyptian Jews as an officer of the Egyptian Army and was detained when he failed to provide proof that he was not an Egyptian agent.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
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.
