Israeli officials continued to wait today to learn the nature of charges brought against five World Zionist Organization emissaries arrested in Cordoba, Argentina last Thursday. Informed sources said the Argentine government promised to reply to Israel’s request for information “within 24 hours.”
The Argentine military authorities acknowledged, meanwhile, that two of the detainees, Yitzhak and Clara Estrugo of Kibbutz Bahan, are being held in military custody. That fact was unofficially reported here at the time of the arrests. Its confirmation by the Argentine military today was described by officials here as a “positive” development in the perplexing case. The Estrugos reportedly hold dual Israeli and Argentine citizenship. The three other shlichim arrested with them are Israeli nationals. Two local employes of the WZO were arrested in Cordoba at the same time.
Yosef Almogi, chairman of the WZO, and top Foreign Ministry officials briefed Israeli media editors this morning but the briefing was “off the record.” They reportedly urged the media to avoid linking the detention of the shlichim with the arrests of two Israeli bank officials in Buenos Aires several weeks ago. The officials, identified as the managers of the Buenos Aires branches of Bank Leumi and the Israel Discount Bank, are being held on suspicion of currency violations.
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