Israel Conveys Concern to U.S. over Egypt’s Non-conventional Weapons

Israel’s grave concern over the non-conventional weapons now being developed in Egypt by German scientists was conveyed today to the United States Government by Foreign Minister Golda Meir, who invited the American Ambassador, Walworth Barbour, for a talk on this subject.

At the same time it was indicated here today that the Israel Government will not hesitate to make public “vast and startling” information about foreign participation in Egypt’s program of producing rockets, missiles and non-conventional weapons, if Switzerland decides to put on trial the Israeli arrested there for allegedly “threatening” a German scientist working on this Egyptian program.

The Israeli, thus far unnamed by the Swiss authorities, was arrested at a hotel in Basle two weeks ago, along with an Austrian scientist. Swiss authorities have, thus far, not told the Israel Ambassador at Berne, Shmuel Bentsur, when he might see the Israeli, but have indicated that such a confrontation will be arranged “soon.”

Israelis are understood to hope that the matter will be settled by the Swiss on the administrative level. However, it was indicated that, if the Israeli is brought to trial, the revelations about the Egyptian armament program, involving non-conventional weapons, may follow. Such disclosures, it was hinted would not be related to German quarters only but also to non-German participation in the Egyptian program.

The Foreign Ministry denied press reports today that it had sent notes to various governments about the Egyptian project for development of the non-conventional weapons. However, it was intimated that Israel’s anxiety over the matter has been conveyed in recent months to a number of Governments, including West German authorities at Bonn.

It was understood that the Egyptian program includes the perfection and production of weapons that might use atomic, chemical gas and bacteriological warheads.