Accused Pastor's Story At Trial

Chronicle (Levin), 2 March 1949, Page 5

Accused Pastor's Story At Trial

(N.Z.P.A.-

—Reuter,

Qopyri$Xt)

Received Wednesday, 10.20 a.m. SOFIA, March 1. The first indication of the way in 'which the Bulgarian Government discovered the alleged espionage ring of the^ 15 Protestant pastors who ar'e now on trial was given by. Mitro Dimitrov, a Baptist pastor of Sofia. He told the court today that in 1948 he became eonscienee stricken and "thus, three months before my arrest, I told the authorities how I was involved."

Dimitrov said that, in his letter to the authorities, he mentioned the name of Nikola Naumov, one of the accused. Pastor Ladin Ivanov Popov broke the sequence of the admissions which had formed the pattern of the trial. Despite insistent questioning by the judge, Popov denied that he was guilty of transmitting information abroad. "My conscience is clear on that," he said. However, Popov admitted blackmarket dealings in dohars and, like the preceding defendants, expressed deep repentance. "I repeat and promise that I will refrain from such crimes," he said. "Bulgaria must follow the path set by Premier Dimitrov." Pastor Zdravko Bezlov, aged 28, the youngest accused, admitted delivering. military information to Rev. Yanko Ivanov, general supervision of the Bu.garian Methodist Church and the chief accused. Bezlov and Ivan Stankulov pleaded guilty. The last two of the defendants came to the stand with abject pleas of guilt and tearful confessions. Angel Dinev, Pentecostal pastor, accused his church superiors of being the ringleaders of the spy ring. He conciuded with the standard statement of repentance. The last and oldest defendant, Alexander Zahariev, the 73-year-

old Methodist, accused his son-in-slaw, Yanko Ivanov, the Methodist supervisor, of duping him into collecting espionage information. The State began calling the first of the 80 witnesses it plans to present against the accused. It is ex1 pected that sentence will be pronounced next Monday,