TERRORISTS KIDNAP JUDGE

Chronicle (Levin), 28 January 1947, Page 5

TERRORISTS KIDNAP JUDGE

Press Assn-

BRITISH CIVILIANS WARNED TO STAY IN HOMES ; CURFEW DECLARED IN JERUSALEM

By Telegraph

Copyright

Received Tuesday, 9.55 a.m. LORjJOiN, January 27. Judge Ralph Windham, presiaeui- u !> trict Court, was kidnapped from his court while it was in sea sion today, says Reuter's Jerusalem eorrespondent. 11 is au.v reported, without confirmation, that a British oflicial was ab ducted at Haifa. The authorities have declared a curfew in Jerusalem until further notice. Palestine radio has issued a warning to the whole country that all British civilians should stay in their homes. It added: "You are in danger of heing kidnapped."

It is reported that all nonJewish and British civilians are evacuating Tel Aviv as a precaution p/i'ainst kidnapping. . vj >n armed Jews forced their *W. cxy into the court while it was sitting, and took Judge Windham away in a car. The kidnappers were well dressed and armed with tommy-guns. They arrived at the courthouse in tliree taxis and ordered Judge Windham, in Hetarew, to go with them. Some of the gangsters held up everyone in the court while others grabbed the judge and dragged him from his chair and through the passages to a black saloon car at the rear of the court building. The police are convinced that Judge Windham was kidnapped as a hostage for Dov Gruner, the Jewish terrorist under the death sentence. The G.O.C. in Palestine, General Sir Evelyn Barker, has indefmitely postponed the execution of Gruner pending the clarification of the position regarding Privy Council appeal. Judge Windham was still robed and bewigged, and is believed to have been drugged when dragged into the car. Sirens sounded immediately, traffic was halted and searchers for the kidnappers Began. Took Less Than A Minute Detailing the aifair, Reuter's eorrespondent says the kidnapping took less than a minute. Two gun-

men entered the side door ana ordered, "Don't move or we'll shoot." Eight more gunmen, sitting among the public in the court, sprang up and closed in on the beneh. They forced the judge from the court at revolver point, cut the building's telephone wires and wounded in the head a Jewish gin telephonist who resisted them. The authorities later found the car used in the kidnapping abandoned at Raumat Gan, a suburb of Tel Aviv. Search For Major Collins Meanwhile, the search for Mr. H. I. Collins, a former, major and now Beputy-Director, of the Light Industries Department, who was kidnapped in Jerusalem yesterday, continues. The police today flashed a signal, "Wanted, tall, blonde Jew called Shapiro," to wireless cars throughout Palestine. The police say that Shapiro is one of the gang which kidnapped Mr. Collins. An unknown man today telephoned police headquarters and said: "The house where Mr. Collins is held is heavily mined. It will be blown up unless the searches are stopped." Troops* carrying torches are searching the caves, disused wells and every conceivable hiding place in an attempt to trace Mr. Collins. Troops carrying lamps are also searching first century tombs north-west of Jerusalem. |