Thousands of Troops Patrol Coastal Area As Raiding Squads Search Jewish Colonies

Thousands of British troops today patrolled the coastal area between Haifa and Gaffa, as raiding squads entered Jewish settlements in a hunt for those responsible for the destruction of the Givat Olga coast guard station on Sunday night, which caused the death of one British soldier and injured many others. A 5:30 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. curfew was still in effect in the area.

This morning a large detachment of troops surrounded Hadera, near the Givat Olga post, and, after imposing a curfew on the entire village, made house-to-house searches. Twenty-five residents were detained for further interrogation. It is reported that similar searches were made in other settlements, but no details are yet available. All traffic along the coastal roads between Haifa and Tel Aviv has been diverted inland, and armored cars and Bran gun carriers have been posted at vantage points. Cages have been set up along the suspects brought in for questioning.

An uneasy quiet prevailed in Jerusalem, but the curfew was cased further. Curfew hours are now between 5 p.m. and 7 a.m. Police today identified the Jew killed during Saturday night’s attack on the Central Prison here as Abraham Akista, 23. He was buried yesterday.

The Tel Aviv municipal council today added its voice to the demand that the Palestine Government allow a delegation from the Jewish community to visit the internment camp in Eritrea where two Jewish prisoners were killed last week. An official request for such a delegation has been forwarded to the High Commissioner.

Settlers of Kibbutz Evron, near Acre, were attacked today by 50 Arabs, armed with sticks, when they came to plough their fields. Four of the Jews were injured, one seriously. Police who were summoned to the scene declared that the fields, which were purchased by the Jewish National Fund about a year ago, were “disputed land” and prohibited the Jews from continuing to cultivate it.