OFFICER FLOGGED BY JEW TERRORISTS

Rotorua Morning Post, Issue 5290, 31 December 1946, Page 5

OFFICER FLOGGED BY JEW TERRORISTS

J ■ (Press &ssr.-

KIDNAPPED FROM HOTEL TWO BRITISH SERGEANTS WHJPPED 'IN PUBLIC

~Rec. 9.30 p.m.)

. ¥ LONDON, Dec. 29. A British offieer, Major Paddy Brett, D.S.O., M.O., of the 6th Airborne Division, has been kidyapped m Palestine. He was taken by ten Jewish gunmen near Tel Aviv. It is officiallv announced m Jerusalem that the British offieer, who was kidmipped from the Metropole Hotel, Nathanya, was ]ater returnecl to the hotel. Hehadbeen nogged. :)mounced *n Jerusalem that Irgun Zvai Leumi gunIwTb t0"^ht Picied up 7ftft ,lsh N.C.O.'s, took them to the gardens, and gave them each 18 strokes. These two, who \vere sei-e ants were flogged in full view of a nan.her of people, who were held off wxth _ tommy-guns. British military headquarters in Jerusalem reported that a fourth -tuitish soldier, a ser'geant, was og.^ed to-day by Jewish gunmen near Tel Aviv. The kidnapping was in fulfilment of ithreats by the terrorists of retaliaTory action of the sentence of impnsonment and birching were carried out on the young Jew convicted of takmg- part in the armed hold-up of a Tel Aviv bank. Earlier to-day Irgun Zvai Leumi -posters stuck on walls throughout Jerusalem repeated the threat pubbcly to flog a British offieer in retaliation for the birching of one of their "fighters." The posters announced the _ decision "to continue the fight against the British forees in Paiestine" and added that there would be no cease-fire in the struggle for the freedom of the nation.

Kidnapped From Lounge The manager of the Ilotel Metropole, describing how Major Brett , was kidnapped, said five men armed I with tommy-guns entered a lounge 1 where Major Breit and his .wife were 1 sitting. They ordered Major Brett \to put up his hands and took him laway in a motor o;*r. He limped back co> tho- imtai i.r> iiis wmlerwear. f d I n - Zvai Leumi : told Major I jaevA Y°U are °nly the i\vst of tllG I ofrHl ;> wlio will he flo\ r,,ed in I futi*."

1 - Palestine Broadcasting Servi(|said Major Brett received 20 strles with a leather strap. The Hol Metropole manager. however, tolmhe Associated Press corresporlnt that Major Brett was sevlly beaten with a thin cane. A«-ding to the British United Preslcoi-respondent, Major Brett said 1' was given "two extra." (Eiglcm lashes was the sentence I carriamt to-day on Abraham KimI chin, Jewish terrorist implic-ated I in thiaffa bank robbery). I Sixl Airborne Division offieers I sumn»d to the Hotel Metropole I took Ijor Brett to the Nathanya I militalleave camp. 1 1 Tied to Rack 1 Ten ti held Major Brett while the Mfloggirfras going on. Major Brett ■ relateciw he was blindfolded, taken ■ about Imiles from Nathanya, tied ■to a pden rack and given 20 ■stroke.4

An obl statement eonfirmed that ■R'un J Leumi told Major Brett: fou atie first of several." The taiemqdescribed the beating as severel The Ksh United Press corresJondentjiys that according to Wergld'' reports from Tel Aviv Irgun ZLeumi threatened to birch ^Britislbeer on a mobile platform pifh wlken into Tel Aviv for the pople ta. I Otheiritish offieers in the IHotel opole, unarmed, were Iforced and while Major Brett |*as m: d past them. Major ■Brett ar > wife were alone in the I'oange l tlve gunmen entered, Put the ig-rocm next door was ■«11 of ]e. ■After ital treatment, Major ■ett join Le house-to-house search ■ar Nata. Tlie British put a Prdon of ps round the town. jKThe twci-eants were taken from k':- Armc otel, on the sea front FjTel At They were left tied to whee gunmen fled. The Ipce sai e Nathanya office of ■ Heb: language newspaper Rvetz, i ed an anonymous teleHne call Hebrew stating that Brn Zva" mi was responsible for Bkidnap KTe Bri United Press corres^yent sa arm is mounting Jeruuja. As lews i*eached the capip people ti to leave cinemas and 1 auranta the safety of their

F-es. 1 Rlljtish i| in Palestine cap- | l fourlh gunmen who tried ■\|rash fm into a road block. p e was Scchange of shots and I of tlews was seriously Lj-j-xled. Ilitish soldier was also 1 ded. Jarrests followed the iftkrist otls earlier during the All ®h troops have beerr baclcamp.

Iians I p'cusi I Aviv il was deserted last I rivi| fearing* violent reI to tlM'ging of the offieer lU.O.'^l the airborne troops iied- orjloutskirts. Strong I of mil police searched all land j|llarly watched for Is attej*? to enter the city. lcial awonference will be »-day il view to prewntins^