State Attorney Gavriel Back refused today to return Rabbi Meir Kahane’s passport. He said that the leader of the Jewish Defense League, against whom two criminal trials are pending in Israel, would have to apply to a court of appeals.
Rabbi Kahane asked for his passport on grounds that he had to go to the United States on an “urgent mission” to organize American Jewish youth for a major campaign protesting the persecution of Jews in Arab countries and in the Soviet Union. An earlier request by Rabbi Kahane, in which he cited the need to organize support for the JDL as his reason for wanting to return to the U.S., was rejected by the Supreme Court which noted that the JDL is suspected of participating in illegal acts in Israel.
The JDL leader faces trial here for allegedly trying to smuggle arms out of Israel to fight Arab terrorists in Europe. He faces a second trial on charges of sedition in connection with a letter writing campaign to Arabs in Israel and the administered territories offering them money to leave the country.
Back said today that he was originally inclined to return Rabbi Kahane’s passport but changed his mind after receiving additional information on the JDL leader’s activities.
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