Stern Gang Head Accused In Israel's First Trial

Chronicle (Levin), 6 December 1948, Page 5

Stern Gang Head Accused In Israel's First Trial

Received Monday, 10.25 a.m. JERUSALEM, Dec. 5. The leader of the Stern Gang, Nalhah Friedman Yellin, appeared before a Military Court at Acre fortress today. Yellin, a graduate of the Warsaw -Technical School, is 1 accused in Israel's first terrorist trial. • Kundreds of Jewish soldiers were stationed on the roof-tops of the fortfess, where 70 other Stern Gang members are imprisoned under close guard, and two planes patrolled ovefhead. The Stern Gang killings are reputed' to range from privates in the British Army to Couht Berhadotte. Yellin is not charged with any Stern Gang killings. However, the prosecution is likely to introduce into its Case the slaying of Count Bernadotte by the "Fatherland Front," which is' the ultra left extremist branch of the Stern Gang. Yellin, in fact, is accused under the emergency ordinance outlawing terrorism, which was enacted by the Israeli Government less than a week before Count Bernadotte's death. . The specific charges against Yellin are participating in a terrorist organisation and the illegal possession of arms. The maximum penalty on convietion would be 20 yearS' irhprisonment and the confiscation of all his property. ■ ! Yellin will conduct his own defence. The trial will almost certainly tug at the eurtain behind which for a long time has been hidden whether the Stern Gang was aetually under foreign influence.