Terrorist Gets Death Sentence in First Military Trial; Arab Bands Disperse

SHEIKH FARHAN ESSADI, 70-YEAR-OLD ARAB TERRORIST CHIEF, WAS SENTENCED IN HAIFA YESTERDAY TO DEATH BY HANGING IN THE NEWLY-CREATED MILITARY TRIBUNAL’S FIRST TRIAL. THE TRIAL WAS CONDUCTED BY MAJOR FAWKES AND TWO OTHER ARMY OFFICERS. THE VERDICT IS SUBJECT TO CONFIRMATION OF MAJOR GENERAL A. P. WAVELL, COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF BRITISH FORCES IN PALESTINE, FROM WHOSE DECISION THERE IS NO APPEAL. IT WAS ANNOUNCED THAT THE CONFIRMATION STATEMENT WAS ISSUED TONIGHT, ALTHO NASHASHIBI’S PALESTINE DEFENSE PARTY SENT A MEMORANDUM TO THE GOVERNMENT ASKING COMMUTATION TO LIFE IMPRISONMENT.

PRIOR TO OPENING OF THE TRIAL, THE GOVERNMENT FORBADE PUBLICATION OF WITNESSES’ NAMES, SUPPOSEDLY TO PREVENT REPRISALS. COUNSEL FOR THE ACCUSED INCLUDED MOGHANAM EL MOGHANAM, AN AMERICAN CITIZEN AND A NASHASHIBIST. THE TRIAL TOOK LESS THAN THREE HOURS. ONLY TWO WITNESSES WERE PRESENTED BY THE PROSECUTOR TO SUPPORT CHARGES THAT THE SHEIKH HAD BEEN CAUGHT IN POSSESSION OF ARMS, IN VIOLATION OF THE RECENTLY DECREED EMERGENCY REGULATION WHICH MAKES THAT AND ACTS OF TERRORISM PUNISHABLE BY DEATH. THE PROSECUTION REFUSED TO MITIGATE SENTENCE IN VIEW OF THE PRISONER’S AGE.

TWO MORE ARABS WERE ARRESTED FOR TRIAL BEFORE A MILITARY COURT, IN JERUSALEM. MOHAMMED ALI WAS SEIZED IN JAFFA. SALIM ARIDA WAS ARRESTED WHEN TROOPS FROM REHOVOTH, IN A SURPRISE SEARCH OF RAMLEH, FOUND A REVOLVER UNDER HIS MATTRESS.

ARAB TERRORIST BANDS DISPERSE

CREATION OF THE MILITARY COURTS HAS APPARENTLY HAD A DISCOURAGING EFFECT ON ARAB TERRORIST BANDS. ONE OF THE LARGEST, WHICH HAD BEEN OPERATING IN THE HILLS BETWEEN RAMLEH AND ARTUF, DISPERSED, ITS MEMBERS HIDING THEIR WEAPONS AND SCATTERING TO VARIOUS VILLAGES. TROOPS ARE SEARCHING FOR THE HIDDEN WEAPONS.

EIGHTY TRUCKLOADS OF TROOPS WERE REPORTED DISPATCHED FROM HAIFA TO SEARCH FOR TERRORISTS IN THE NEARBY HILLS. AN ARAB BAND WAS SAID TO HAVE BEEN ENGAGED BY THE TROOPS BETWEEN THE VILLAGES OF FASUTA AND TARDING, BUT APPARENTLY ESCAPED TO THE FRONTIER. AIRCRAFT HAVE JOINED IN THE PURSUIT.

REPORTS FROM SYRIA SAID A PALESTINE BAND OF MORE THAN A 100 UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF ABUI BARAHIM, PALESTINE ARAB, HAD PENETRATED LEBANON VIA SYRIA AND THAT FRENCH GENDARMERIE HAD RUSHED REINFORCEMENTS TO THE FRONTIER FORCES.

FOUR MEMBERS OF THE AL KASSAN BAND WILL BE RELEASED FROM ACRE PRISON TOMORROW AFTER HAVING SERVED TWO-YEAR TERMS AND WILL IMMEDIATELY BE CONFINED IN THE ACRE CONCENTRATION CAMP FOR ANOTHER YEAR AS A PREVENTIVE MEASURE. EMIR ABDULLAH OF TRANSJORDAN WAS REPORTED BY AL JAMIA AL ISLAMIA TO HAVE APPEALED TO THE PALESTINE GOVERNMENT TO RELEASE ARABS HELD IN THE CONCENTRATION CAMP IN VIEW OF THE ARABS’ “IMPROVED CONDUCT.”