Israeli officials believe Arab terrorist extremists are preparing new murderous attacks against civilians in Israel and Europe to coincide with the fifth anniversary of the Six-Day War on June 5, it was learned today. This assumption emerged from the continuing interrogation of Namba Dai Saka, the survivor of a trio of Japanese kamikaze killers who massacred 25 persons and wounded more than 70 at Lydda Airport Tuesday night.
Saka reportedly told his interrogators that he would remain silent for one week and only then will “tell the truth.” This remark and other information seemed to hint that new carnage was being planned. The assumption is that other Japanese, either hired gunmen or ideologically motivated fanatics, are working with Dr. George Habash’s Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, the Beirut-based extremist terror group.
Israeli officials reportedly doubt most of the statements made by Saka so far and believe he is simply not telling the truth. His name is believed to be an alias. A Japanese terrorist arrested in an attempt to assassinate the Japanese Premier several years ago also used the name Dai Saka. An official of the counter-terrorist department of the Japanese police arrived here early today to assist in the investigation.
(SEE P. 2 FOR PFLP THREAT.) KILLERS VISITED ISRAEL BEFORE
Israeli officials have additional information linking the Japanese gunmen to the PFLP. It is known that their training center is located in Arab terrorist camps in Lebanon and that more Japanese are in training there. According to unconfirmed reports, the three Lydda Airport killers visited Israel as tourists about three weeks ago and carefully inspected the airport terminal. Afterwards they went either to Lebanon or Europe where they built a mockup of the terminal and rehearsed their planned massacre, the reports said.
Although the Israeli government has publicly absolved Japan from any link with the killers, Japanese volunteers at Israeli kibbutzim were advised to remain indoors for the next few days to avoid possible incidents. Japanese students at Israeli universities did not attend classes yesterday. They said they were deeply ashamed over the acts of their three countrymen. The Japanese Ambassador, Aeiji Tokura, was in tears, when he visited wounded victims of the massacre at various hospitals today. He left flowers with an apology. Police guarding the Japanese Embassy here were re-enforced following a bomb scare yesterday. A search of the building yielded no explosives.
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