The trial of two West Germans charged with attempting to shoot down an El Al plane at the Nairobi Airport on Jan. 16, 1976, scheduled to open before a military tribunal today, has been postponed indefinitely.
The accused terrorists, Brigitte Schultz, 25, and Thomas Reuter, were captured along with three Arabs near the airport in possession of a SAM-7 ground-to-air missile with which they intended to fire at an El Al passenger plane that was about to land at Nairobi Airport. They are believed to be members of an international terrorist group headed by Wadiyah Haddad, who also heads the overseas arm of George Habash’s Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.
The trial had been delayed once before because of difficulties in getting a defense attorney. The accused had requested Felicia Langer, a well-known Israeli left-wing lawyer, but she has been barred from appearing before military tribunals. The trial will be held behind closed doors but the West German Embassy will be allowed to have a representative present.
Meanwhile, Israeli authorities have denied reports that they are holding a West German leftist with alleged terrorist connections, Monica Haas.
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