Eliahu Hakim, and Ephraim Ben-Zuri, young Palestine terrorists, were hanged this morning for the assassination here last November 6 of lord Moyne, British Minister of State in the Middle East.
The date of execution was not set at the time the two were convicted by an Egyptian military court on January 18 and neither of the youths were aware they were to be executed today until they were awakened in their cells in the Citadel Prison at 4,30 a. m. It was known that the executions were imminent, however, because Chief Rabbi Haim Effendi Hahoum was requested on Sunday to place a rabbi at the disposal of the cuthorities.
The young Jews went to their death oalmly singing “Hear, Oh Israel, the Lord is One,” They were taken by prison van from the Citadel Prison to the Cairo Central Prison over which a black flag had been hoisted, While chatting with the chaplain, they took off their prison garb and donned the red uniforms presoribed by Egyptian law.
Hakim entered the prison courtyard first, at 8 o’clock, and stood quietly as the official accusation was read to him. When asked if he had any last requests, he said that he regretted that he had not been warned of his execution earlier, as he desired to write some letters and talk with friends and relatives. He added that he would have liked to shave and put on better clothes.
Hakim began to chant hymns as he was marched to the gallows and he continued to do so as the hangman tied his hands and feet and covered his head with a hood, He was still singing when the trap was sprung. He was pronounced dead after four minutes and ten seconds.
Ben-Zuri, 26 pounds heavier than at the time of his trial, was equally composed and also expressed regret that he had not been given time to write letters, He asked that his hands and feet be left untied, but complied quietly when told that it was required by law. He was also singing as the trap fell. Relatives of the youths as well as various organizations and notablos throughout the world had appealed in the past few weeks for elemency.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
