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American Non-jew Who Acted for Arabs in Israel Arrested in U.S.

September 12, 1960
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An American non-Jew who posed as a Jewish victim of nazism in order to get a free ride from here to Israel, then allegedly turned into an agent for Arab countries, was held for trial in United States District Court here after arraignment before U.S. Commissioner Joseph Karesh.

The story was told to Commissioner Karesh by Assistant U.S. Attorney James B. Schnake, at a hearing for James T. Moore, 28, formerly a resident of Oakland, Calif. According to Mr. Schnake, Moore had “surrendered” to immigration authorities last year, swearing falsely that he was a Jewish refugee from Nazi persecution, who had come to the U.S.A. illegally. He said his real name was Jacob Itzhak Mohr. The immigration authorities deported him to Israel.

In Israel, according to the U.S. Attorney, Moore worked for a time in a kibbutz. Then he allegedly established contact with agents for the United Arab Republic, helping spread anti-Israel propaganda in the UAR, Lebanon and Jordan. He was finally arrested by Israeli authorities. Then, in order to obtain a free ride back to the United States, he pretended he was a Catholic, and got a priest to pay his fare back to Oakland.

He was arrested here by immigration authorities, upon his arrival last week, charged with defrauding the U.S. Government. If convicted, he would be subject to a sentence of five years in prison, plus a fine of $10, 000.

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