Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1947-09-09
Flyer Who Thwarfed
Jews London Raid
Is Hidden in England
Nv tho Asseeicted Prsss

PARIS, Sept. "a young Amer
lean flyer credited with having
saved London from being bombed"
by 10000 Jewish propaganda pamph-
lets was hidden away today some
where in England, where he was
flown by the Raj, presumably for
his own protection.
He is Reginald Gilbert. 24-year-
old Birmingham, Ala, native, who
was said by French police to have
Joined the Jewish Fighters for the
Freedom Of IsraeP'-the so-called
Stern gang-to foil plans to wage
a war of nerves against Britain, in
Guiding pamphlet bombing of the
British capital.
Flown to Hendon Airport.
The British Air Ministry dis
closed that Mr.. Gilbert had been
flown from Paris to the Hendon
Airport, on the outskirts of London,
yesterday afternoon in an RAF
plane. Mystery surrounded his exact
whereabouts.
An Air Ministry spokesman said
he understood Mr. Gilbert had been
turned over to q special branch of
Scotland Yard. A Scotland Yard
official said: I'VE do not deny any
statement the Air Ministry makes,
but we cannot at the moment con-
firm that we have Gilbert in Gus
tody"
Friends OF the pilot in Paris said
he had been placed under the pro-
lection of Scotland Yard until he
could be returned to America.
French police said they feared for
the flyers. life if the Stern Gang
ever caught up with him.
Nine Persons in Custody.
Nine persons are in the custody of
French police as result of Mr..
Glbert's alleged espionage, includ-
ing Rabbi Baruch Korf, 80, reported
leader of the bomb" plot, who
was on self-described hunger
strike until 81 have been freed" by
French police. Rabbi Korf was
charged under 1889 decree forbid
ding the possession of pamphlets
of foreign origin of nature to
undermine the defense Of the
country"
Conviction on this charge carries
a sentence of one to five years.
Mr.. Gilbert told friends he strung
along with the plotters for 10 days
with full knowledge of Scotland
Yard and French police. The latter
closed in on the group Saturday
just before the takeoff for the
raid"
The flyer also told friends the plot
included the dropping of explosive
bombs made with fire extinguishers,
but French officials said they had
found no sign of such explosives.
Police issued a communique as
serting that one of their own men
also had managed to gain the plot
ters' confidence.
Nine Appear in Court.
Rabbi Korf and the eight other
suspects appeared before Judge
Fernand Golleti yesterday. Upon
leaving the courtroom Rabbi Korff
raised his hand in the "V" sign and
shouted pictures, pictures" at the
photographers.
Mr.. Gilbert's friends said the fly
er told them he went directly to the
British Embassy to report after a
meeting with Rabbi Korf at which
he was asked to pilot the rabbits
plane.
The raid" on London was to have
been timed to coincide with the de-
barkation of the Exodus 1947 Jews
at Hamburg.
Friends said that as United
States Army pilot during the war
Mr.. Gilbert flew 136 missions over
Europe and shot down nine Ger
man planes.
French police officials were
chagrined at the revelation of Mr..
Gilbert's part in foiling the plot.
I'VE wanted to get him out of
France before that fact was known"
an officer of the Surete Rationale
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