The Palestine Government today issued a communique stating that the desperadoes who made an attempt on the life of Sir Harold MacMichael, the outgoing High Commissioner of Palestine, have disappeared in the Jewish settlement of Givat Shaul, leaving no trace of their identity.
“Police immediately cordoned off the settlement, but no one volunteered any clues,” the communique says. “All available information points to the fact that the perpetrators of this and other recent outrages, and their active supporters who have openly boasted of their responsibility for terror and intention to continue, are more than a small body of terrorists and form a widespread organization.”
Declaring that police dogs have similarly confirmed that the perpetrators of the attack on the High Commissioner entered the Givat Shaul settlement, the official communique says that the police investigating the attack, have discovered on the spot a quantity of hand grenades, two sub-machine guns, a sack of bombs capable of being exploded by electricity from a distance, and other ammunition and explosive equipment.
“The Government and the police are fully alive to their responsibilities and duties,” the communique continues. “They are also aware of the fact that the majority of the inhabitants in the country sincerely abhor terrorist activities. But the public also have a clear responsibility. The government calls upon all members of the community to aid to the utmost ability especially in the matter of giving information to the security forces.”
KING CONGRATULATES MACMICHAEL; JEWISH AGENCY ISSUES STATEMENT
High Commissioner MacMichael was reported today as having much improved from the light wounds received. He was the recipient today of a message from the King congratulating him on his “providential escape from the cowardly attempt.”
The Jewish Agency for Palestine today issued a statement reading: “We are shocked to learn of the attempt on the life of the High Commissioner. We are confident that whoever the culprits he, all inhabitants of the country, regardless of race and religion, will do everything in their power to bring to justice the perpetrators of the dastardly act.”
Police authorities today reported that the preparations on the scene of the crime had apparently been made under the cover of bogus survey operations. Several of the assailants, numbering not more than ten, laid in ambush for several hours waiting for the High Commissioner’s car to pass. They hid behind rocks on the hilly left side of the road. Seven of them were seen escaping from the engagement and entering the neighboring Jewish settlement of Givat Shaul, where police officers are now making extensive searches with the aid of police dogs.
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