The trial of 15 members of an alleged underground terrorist group which the government believes responsible for the blasting of the Soviet legation in Tel Aviv resumed here before a military tribunal today after a week’s recess, with the prosecution beginning to present its evidence against the defendants.
Only four of the accused were in the courtroom today. Seven still refused to recognize the court’s jurisdiction and to cooperate in the trial and were again barred from the courtroom where they are being tried in absentia. Three 17-year-olds who pleaded guilty last week remained on bail and another one was on bail because of ill health.
The prosecution began its case by calling police officers to testify about their investigations and the finding of arms stores and secret documents. One of the officers told of searching the home of Shouel Dreimans, former Sternist in whose home weapons and documents were found, and who will later be called as a state’s witness.
The court ordered a closed session for the presentation of some of the documents which are highly classified and whose disclosure, according to the prosecution, could be harmful to the state. Other documents included stolen military police identification cards, giving gang members access to all military installations, and army leave forms. The government will attempt to prove that they were stolen by Yaacov Heruti, number one defendant and son of the president of the Supreme Military Court, when he was in the army.
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