The Chief Rabbi of the Jibuty Jewish Community has been arrested by the French authorities and is being held as hostage pending the payment of a claim entered by an Arab against the family of a deceased Jew, according to reports reaching here yesterday.
The arrest occurred this week, it is stated.
An Arab claimed that a deceased Jew owed him money and that his family refuses to make payment on the pretext that it has no money. The Arab asserted, however, that the deceased Jew left sufficient funds to pay the debt. Whereupon the authorities arrested the family as well as a number of Jewish leaders, including the rabbi, the latter being held as hostages.
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