Supreme Court Refuses to Issue Injunction Forbidding Government to Release Algerians

The Supreme Court yesterday refused to issue an injunction forbidding the government to release the two Algerian government officials who had been removed for questioning from a BOAC plane which had landed at Lydda Airport last Friday. In refusing the injunction, the Court held that “the government acts on the basis of political and other considerations which cannot be measured by juridical yardsticks.” The public and government differ over the question of releasing the two men, Major Khatib Jaloul, secretary of the Algerian government and Ali Bel Aziz, a senior ministerial secretary. A minority in the government and among the people is urging that the men be held and traded for Israelis held by the Arabs. Following reports on Monday that the two Algerians would he released “in a few days” upon the completion of questioning, the newspaper Maariv claimed that Major Jaloul was the head of the Algerian secret police. Continuing revelations of Major Jaloul’s role may have caused a delay in his release and that of Mr. Aziz. Last night the two men were removed from the hotel where are they had been lodged since their removal from the BOAC plane and taken to a new, unknown destination. Meanwhile, relatives of Israeli pilots held in Arab prisons have gathered to consider ways of compelling the government not to release the Algerians except in exchange for Israeli prisoners-of-war.