Ephreim Ben Zuri and Eliahu Khakim, young Palestine terrorists, were sentenced to death today for the assassination last November 6 of Lord Moyne, British Resident Minister in the Middle East.
Both defendants had admitted the murder of Moyne and his chauffeur, and the question before the court was whether the political motives behind the killings and the defendant’s youth merited special consideration.
The court announced that the formal sentencing will take place on Monday. Both Ben Zuri and Khakim took the verdict calmly. Ben Zuri remained pale and smiling, while Khakim flushed slightly.
Defense attorneys announced that they will urge Premier Ahmed Maher Pasha to commute the sentences. Under Egyptian law no appeal from a military court is possible. Executions usually take place about three weeks after sentence has been imposed.
When the court reconvened at 9 a.m. this morning, only a few spectators, apart from the lawyers and correspondents, were admitted. The members of the tribunal then left to decide on their verdict.
During the three hours that they deliberated, Khakim and Ben Zuri, who were not allowed to talk to the spectators, chatted with the guards and each other Khakim asked permission to smoke, but was told that it was prohibited. At 10,30 a commotion outside the court-room was thought to be the judges returning and the accused shook bands, wishing each other luck. But it was a false alarm.
At 12,05 the judges finally entered. A police officer warned the audience not to make any outcry when the verdict was announced and to leave the court without conversing with each other. As the defendants rose, the president of the court read the following traditional statement,
“After taking cognizance of Article 49 of the law relating to the organization of the court of Assizes it has been decided to refer the documents in this case to His Eminence The ## of Egypt for an expression of opinion. Monday, January 22, has been fixed for (##) of sentence.”
Ben Zuri, a former law students, immediately understood that this meant the death sentence, but Khakim (##) turned to him, and he quickly explained what the announcement signified. (##) quiet as the audience filed from the court-room in a dead silence. (##) left the two waved good-by to them.
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