Israeli authorities today announced the completion of all preparations for the opening April 11 of the Eichmann trial here. The building in which the trial will be held and the area around the building have been completely sealed off by police. A special police detail, separated from the unit guarding the courtroom area, will guard Eichmann.
An indication as to the line of defense which will be taken by Eichmann’s lawyer, Dr. Robert Servatius, was seen here today in his subpoenaing of two Israelis to appear as defense witnesses on April 12. The two are Zvi Tohar, chief pilot of the El Al Israel Airlines plane that brought Eichmann here last May, and Yaacov Shimony, then El Al chief of operations.
In summoning these two as witnesses for the defense, Eichmanns lawyer obviously wants to claim that the holding of the trial is “illegal” under international law because Eichmann was “kidnaped” in Argentina and also because he committed his crimes against humanity on non-Israeli soil during a period when Israel was not yet in existence.
Against the opposition of Attorney General Gideon Hausner, the three-Judge court that will try Eichmann granted Dr. Servatius’ application for permission to call Tohar and Shimony. The court held that the men may appear as defense witnesses, granting both the prosecution and the defense the right to argue during the trial “whether the testimony of these witnesses is likely to concern matters that will be decided during the trial.”
Israel, it is understood, will argue that, under international law, the manner in which a prisoner is brought under the jurisdiction of a court is irrelevant.
Today’s announcement of the completion of all preparations for the opening of the trial stated that accredited correspondents will receive at the trial special transistor radios over which they will be able to listen to instantaneous interpretation of the trial’s proceedings in languages of their choice–Hebrew, Yiddish, English, French or German. Yiddish was added to the roster of languages in an order issued by the Israeli authorities today. The protocol of the trial proceedings will be published in all of the languages.
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.
