Sentences ranging from one to 12 years imprisonment were today meted out to 13 youthful members of an illegal underground organization convicted by a military court at the Sarafand Army base of membership in and participating in the activities of a terrorist organization.
The three-man court gave the stiffest sentence, 12 years, to Shimon Bachar, who escaped from jail during the trial and is still at large. He and Yaacov Heruti, who received a 10-year sentence, and Yaakov Blumenthal, who was sentenced to seven years, were all convicted of three charges involving membership and activity in the underground unit. Zeev Badian and Miss Yaffa Dromi, his financee, were given four-year terms. Miss Dromi was an announcer on the underground Sternist radio before the State of Israel was established.
Yeheskel Mizrachi received a five-year sentence, while two 16-year-old girls, Zilia Mogori Cohen and Malka Paposhdo, were given one-year terms. The remainder received terms ranging between one and three years, with Yefet Taizi and Yehoshofat Givon, who confessed to an abortive attempt to set fire to the car of the Czech Minister in Israel, receiving two-year sentences.
When sentencing was concluded the defendants rose to their feet and sang “Hatikvah.” The sentences are subject to approval by Premier David Ben Gurion in his capacity of Defense Minister.
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.
