Sudden sweeping searches were carried out by police in forty-five Tel Aviv factories this morning following a series of explosions throughout the country during the last 24 hours. In the protected area established in the city, British troops were placed on the alert.
During the manhunt, which occurred between 10 a.m. and noon, hundreds of persons were questioned, but no one was detained and no arms or other illegal items found. Searches were also instituted in Jerusalem, particularly near the scene of last night’s landmine blast which injured four British soldiers.
A fifth British soldier was wounded this morning when the truck he was driving was blown up by an electrically detonated mine on the coastal road between Tel Aviv and Haifa. Landmines disguised as milestones were discovered and diamantled by British engineer troops this morning on roads in the vicinity of Rehovoth and Rishon L’Zion.
The rail line between Nablue and Petach Tikvah was damaged by an explosion last night which ripped up a considerable section of track. Haifa harbor and the surrounding docks were declared under ourfew last night between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. while police launches dropped dept charges into the bay. The police apparently suspected the presence of asbotaging “frog men.”
JEWISH COMMUNITY DRIVE AGAINST TERRORIAN; HAGANAH KIDNAPES BLACKMAILERS
Meanwhile, the Palestine Jewish community’s campaign against terrorian continues to be waged with very little publicity. Two youths suspected of blackmailing wealthy Jews in the name of underground organizations were kidnapped by the Haganah within the last two days. One of the youths was released today, but he refused to divulge where he had been held, by whom, and what questioning he had undergons. It is also reported that the Haganah has frustrated a number of attempts by the Irgunists and Sternists to mine roads frequently used by military vehicles and personel.
An Irgun broadcast tonight, commenting on Foreign secretary Bevin’s announcement that the Palestine issue would be referred to the United Nations, declared:
“Nothing has changed, but the threat to the Jewish people; its future and existence, has become more acute.” Charging that Britain will use the interim period before a U.N. decision in an attempt to break the Jewish community’s will, the annoucer said that the “intrigue will be frustrated by our struggle.”
The broadcast also revealed that conditions in the Eritrean detention camps for Palestinian Jews have worsened since the escape last November of five prisoners. It concluded with a threat that “if something happens to the detainees, the Palestine authorities will pay for it.”
MONTHLY IMMIGRATION QUOTA ANNOUNCED; JEWISH AND ARAB PRISONERS SEGREGATED
The immigration for the period of Feb. 15-Mar. 14 was announced today in the Palestine Government’s Official Gazette. Fifteen hundred certificates were awarded to Jews and 200 to all other persons.
Authorities at the Jerusalem Central Prison today ordered the segregation of Jewish and Arab prisoners to prevent clashes among the prisoners. Last month a Jewish medical orderly was killed in a riot provoked by Arab prisoners following a strike by Jewish internees protesting the imposition of the death sentence on Dov Gruner.
Mussa el Alami, head of the Arab Office, left here on route to Cairo, London and Washington where, it is reported, he will reorganize the Arab offices in preparation for presenting the Arab point of view in the coming United Nations discussions on Palestine.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
