The trial of Peter Martusch, one of 13 seamen arrested aboard the British destroyer Chevron following the discovery on May 1 of an alleged plot to blow up the ship in Haifa harbor, opened here today. Martusch is charged with illegal possession of explosives.
Of the original 13, eleven have been released and one, Chaim Rotschilde, was sentenced without a trial to a year’s imprisonment at the Latrum detention camp.
The original British communique which announced the arrest of the man gave the impression that all 13 seamen were Jews. A short time afterwards the Hebrew press charged that only three of the men were Jewish and demanded that the communique be amended, but British authorities have taken no corrective action.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
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.
