The Jerusalem district court ruled after a brief hearing Sunday that accused spy Mordechai Vanunu may not conduct his defense in open session.
The 33-year-old former technician at the Dimona nuclear facility has been charged with giving the Sunday Times of London data on Israel’s alleged nuclear weapons capability and photographs of the Dimona plant. His trial, which began last August, has been held in closed court, a restriction vigorously protested by the accused, his family and supporters.
The trial was adjourned 10 weeks ago after Judge Zvi Tal, one of the panel of three judges hearing the case, suffered a heart attack. It is scheduled to resume Dec. 1.
The court also ruled Sunday that Vanunu’s defense counsel will not be permitted to call top Israeli political figures to the witness stand to testify about the country’s nuclear policy.
Vanunu, who converted to the Anglican faith when he left Israel for Australia a few years ago, disappeared from a hotel in London on Sept. 30, 1986. Israel initially denied any knowledge of his whereabouts. But six weeks later, it acknowledged that he was in custody in Israel.
Although the Israeli authorities insisted he returned voluntarily, Vanunu apparently was seized by Israeli agents in Rome on Oct. 1, 1986.
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