Israeli Arrested in Switzerland; Charged with ‘threatening’ Scientist

The Israeli press expressed astonishment today over the arrest in Basle, Switzerland, of an Israeli on a charge of allegedly “threatening” a German missile scientist working for Egypt.

The Israel Ambassador to Switzerland, Shmuel Bentsur, reported to the Foreign Ministry here that he has been denied access to the arrested Israeli and that he does not even know his name. However, he said that the Swiss authorities may permit him to see the arrested man in jail within the next few days.

The entire case involves a “cloak-and-dagger” story concerning charges that German scientists are working for Egypt, in Cairo, in efforts to develop a cobalt bomb. German police, Swiss police, Interpol operatives and, allegedly, both Israeli and Arab undercover agents are presumably part of the story, according to Swiss dispatches.

The Israeli in jail, and an Austrian arrested with him, were reportedly taken into custody after they had been trapped in a Basle hotel by the daughter of a German scientist. The woman, Miss Heidi Goerk, presumably told the Israeli and the Austrian she wanted them to dissuade her father, Prof. Jens Goerk, from continuing to work on the Egyptian missile program which is seeking to produce some weapons that are forbidden by international law. In fact, however, she was merely laying a trap for the Israeli and the Austrian, according to the report.

GERMAN SECRET AGENTS PARTICIPATE IN ARREST AS ‘OBSERVERS’

Professor Goerk is one of a large group of German scientists, numbering perhaps 250, who are working with Nasser to perfect and produce unconventional weapons, some of which are prohibited under international law. These scientists helped Nasser develop his rockets which, he had boasted, could hit Israel. The majority of these German scientists are understood to be employed by Egypt through Swiss firms with headquarters in Zurich.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry was ready some months ago to approach the Bonn Government on this issue and has contemplated publication of a White Book giving details about the work being done by German scientists for Nasser’s missile and rocket programs. The German scientists at work on this phase of Nasser’s armament program are men who served the Nazi regime and now want to help Nasser destroy Israel, the reports indicated.

When the Israeli and the Austrian were arrested in the Basle hotel in connection with the Goerk case, secret agents of the Bonn Government were reportedly part of the Swiss police cordon, acting as “observers.”

SWISS NEUTRALITY QUESTIONED IN ISRAEL; PRESS INDIGNANT OVER ARREST

The Jerusalem Post stated editorially today that “in a desire to protect the interests of their Arab customers, the Swiss appear to have let themselves become the instrument of a German group. We believe most Germans today do not want their scientists to be the spear-head for new assaults against the Jewish people. ” Other newspapers in Israel were similarly indignant over the action of Swiss authorities.

Typical of the press comment is that of Maariv, leading evening newspaper, which in an editorial today questioned Swiss neutrality in this case. “The arrest of an Israeli, ” declared Maariv, “after his meeting with Miss Goerk, who arrived at the hotel in Basle of her own free will, does not indicate neutrality. It indicates non-neutrality and an attitude toward Israel that cannot be explained.

“The Swiss authorities were well informed about the meeting,” the editorial continued. “But, as nothing violent took place, why did they arrest the Israeli and why do they reveal such a strong attitude which culminates in a threat to try the Israeli? Israel makes efforts to prevent development of Egyptian missiles, carried out with the aid of German scientists. Are Swiss authorities interested in the success of the German-Swiss cooperation in the development of non-conventional weapons?” The paper expressed a hope that the Swiss will find a way to “end this affair.”

ISRAELI POLITICAL PARTIES TO REQUEST PARLIAMENTARY STUDY

The Herut faction in the Knesset, Israel’s Parliament, today notified the Speaker of the House that it wants “urgent Knesset consideration of the presence of German experts on missiles, gas and bacteriological warfare in the services of the Egyptian enemy. ” A number of other members of various parties in the Knesset announced they will also seek details of the entire matter to be studied by an appropriate Knesset committee, as well as release of the Israeli being held in Switzerland.

Meanwhile, Maariv’s Vienna correspondent today identified the Austrian under arrest in Switzerland as Dr. Otto Jukelik; an Austrian scientist who, last year, visited Egypt and joined German experts there engaged in missile weapons development. When he realized that the scientists in Egypt were engaged in developing unconventional, dangerous weapons, the report stated, Dr. Jukelik decided to withdraw from the project and contacted Israeli circles.

According to this report from Vienna, Dr. Jukelik thought he might be able to persuade Dr. Goerke also to abandon the Egyptian project, and contacted Goerke’s family. That is how the meeting between the Israeli and Goerke’s daughter came about, the report stated. Whether or why Miss Goerke informed the Swiss police is still unclear, Maariv stated, “although it is clear she came to Basle voluntarily and, following the meeting, returned home to Freiburg, in West Germany.”