Tekoah Says Bomb Carrier Released in Amsterdam is Member of El Fatah

Israeli Ambassador Yosef Tekoah today identified the letter bomb carrier released Tuesday in Amsterdam as Kibhi Khalum, a 33-year-old Palestinian member of El Fatah. Khalum, who was earlier reported to be on the staff of an Algerian Embassy in Latin America, was said by Tekoah to be headed for Brazil on an Algerian passport. Tekoah, who was Israel’s Ambassador to Brazil during 1960-62, made the disclosure in a letter to Security Council President Louis de Guiringaud of France, which the Israeli asked to be circulated among United Nations members.

“It is known,” Tekoah wrote, “that Khalum represents this terror organization (Fatah) in Latin America, pursuing his nefarious activities under the cover of his Algerian diplomatic passport.” Khalum “has carried out various missions on behalf of El Fatah and has participated in El Fatah conferences and committees,” Tekoah said, and “travels from Latin America to the Arab states and back” approximately once a month.

The man now identified as Khalum was released by Dutch authorities after being picked up with suitcases containing letter bombs, grenades, explosive chemicals, firearms and ammunition. Two Cabinet ministers said Holland “cannot detain people merely on suspicion of terrorism,” a statement that astonished Israeli officials. It was reported yesterday that the man held a Jordanian passport and was placed on a plane to Venezuela.

SECOND DIPLOMAT ALSO FATAH MEMBER

Tekoah noted today that “the second Algerian diplomat, who was to receive the suitcase with the letter bombs, grenades and explosives, is also known as an active member of the El Fatah.” The envoy did not identify him.

Tekoah termed Khalum’s activities in the Netherlands this week as a “grave incident highlighting the responsibility of Arab governments for the campaign of terrorism waged by Arab murder squads in the Middle East and in other parts of the world and those governments’ direct involvement in the barbaric atrocities perpetrated by Arab terror organizations.”

He added that “the aforesaid facts constitute further irrefutable evidence of the close cooperation between the Arab murder organizations and Arab governments, which even give a diplomatic cover to terrorist agents and to the smuggling of deadly material for use in criminal terror operations.” Tekoah did not, however, comment on Holland’s action in releasing Khalum. The Mission spokesman said he “assumed” that Israel was making its feelings on that point known to Holland through diplomatic channels. (See separate story)