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Five Britons to Face Military Court in Israeli Army’s First Public Espionage Trial

The Israeli army’s first major spy trial, expected to be held in public within the next few days, will see five Britons enter the prisoners’ box. The chief among the accused, however, will be tried in Absentia. He is identified only as a Col. Gresham, the manager of a Jerusalem Electrical Company, who recently left […]

July 15, 1948
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The Israeli army’s first major spy trial, expected to be held in public within the next few days, will see five Britons enter the prisoners’ box.

The chief among the accused, however, will be tried in Absentia. He is identified only as a Col. Gresham, the manager of a Jerusalem Electrical Company, who recently left Jerusalem for Beirut. The charge against him is that he occupied his poet for some time to disguise his activities as an intelligence liaison officer for the Arab Legion.

A spy who cooperated with Gresham was reported arrested last week by the Israeli military police and promptly tried before a military court. He allegedly made a full confession, implicating Gresham and another five Britons, who were kidnapped last week by the Irgun. The arrested spy was immediately found guilty and sentenced to be shot. Whether the sentence has been carried out remains unknown.

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