Rabbi Meir Kahane went on trial here today charged with conspiracy to kidnap and murder foreign politicians during last June’s visit to the United States by Soviet Communist Party Secretary Leonid I. Brezhnev. He was also accused of involvement in planning to blow up foreign embassies overseas and sending letters abroad and cables from here during last May and June aimed at carrying out actions considered as crimes in the U.S. and Israel. Although the charge sheet did not specify the Brezhnev visit it did charge him with attempted conspiracy to harm relations with a friendly nation, the U.S.
Premier Golda Meir, in an affidavit presented to the court, stated that disclosure of government actions on the immigration of Jews from the Soviet Union was liable to harm Israel’s foreign relations and thus constituted a breach of the official Secrets Act. Mrs. Meir’s statement, written in her role as acting Foreign Minister in the absence of Abba Eban who is abroad, was presented to the court by State Prosecutor Gabriel Bach.
Judge Jacob Bazak ruled against a defense motion requesting Eban to be summoned as a witness to support the contention that Rabbi Kahane’s actions were not liable to harm Israel’s foreign relations. The JDL leader admitted writing letters and dispatching them abroad. He pleaded not guilty to the other charges. The trial was adjourned until Tuesday and will then continue in camera because some of the details relating to Soviet Jewry are confidential and cannot be made public. If Rabbi Kahane is found guilty he faces seven years’ imprisonment.
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