The Board of Deputies of British Jews, in an unusual action, issued a statement today, sharply criticizing the action of a London Judge who freed without punishment former neo-Nazis who had pleaded guilty to firing London synagogues.
The Board noted that, in freeing the four men, all of whom said they had been members of Colin Jordan’s tiny National Socialist Party. Recorder C. D. Aardvold had explained his action as stemming from his belief that the arsonists were penitent and had been “misled.” Judge Aardvold also said the defendants were “more to be pitied than blamed.”
The Board expressed “grave concern” that, after houses of worship “had been desecrated and burned, ” the culprits “have received virtually no punishment.” The Jewish leaders added that “the extreme leniency” had caused astonishment “not only to all members of the Jewish community but to the public at large, and this has been reflected in the press and elsewhere.”
Declaring it could not understand “why activities of such a serious nature should have been treated so lightly, ” the Board expressed fear that “this leniency may serve to encourage others to emulate these crimes.” Among the outrages to which the four men confessed was a fire which virtually gutted the Brondesbury Synagogue, with damages of more than $350,000.
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