An Arab police official and his bodyguard were slain in Haifa today as evidence of mounting Arab terrorism was reported from various parts of the country.
Halim Basta, Haifa’s senior Arab police officer, and his bodyguard were shot dead in a Haifa street by terrorists. Basta, wounded in a similar attack several months ago, had been many times threatened for his anti-terrorist activities.
A transport of Palestine Potash Company trucks en route north from the Dead Sea was fired on from ambush. Wireless calls for aid, sent out by the truck drivers, brought military reinforcements to the spot. There were no casualties.
Eighteen of Jaffa’s most prominent Arab merchants have received threatening “Black Hand” letters demanding contributions to finance a renewal of disturbances, it was revealed today. Among the recipients, it was reported, was the mayor of Jaffa.
A number of supernumeraries were assigned to Beth Joseph, new Jewish colony in the dangerous Beisan area, following a visit by District Officer Andrews.
Collective fines of £100 each have been imposed on the Druze villages of Yarka and Bukeia for aiding terrorist bands. Thirty-seven Druzes (Syrian Arabs) were bound over under bonds of £100 each.
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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.
