Evening star., 1947-07-29
3Jews Hanged
In Defiance Of
Irqun Threats
Terrorists Warn That
z British Sergeonts
Also Will Be Killed
BY the Associated Press

JERUSALEM, July 29.-The
British hanged three Jews today
in defiance of "a Jewish under
ground threat to retaliate with
the execution of two British
hostages and "bathe the Holy
Land with blood"
A British military announcement
said Meir Nakar, Yacoub Weiss and
Absalom Habib were put to death
between 4 and am. in Acre Prison
on Palestine's north coast for their
part in the May break there, in
which 251 prisoners were freed and
16 persons were killed.
British Sergeants Tried.
A Jewish underground source said
last night that Irgun Zvai Leumi,
to which the three belonged, had
tried British Sergts. Clifford Mar
tin and Mervin PAIGE and con-
demned them to death for being
members of a force Illegally oc-
cupying Palestine" and 'conspiring
to Cypress the rightful citizens of
Palestine" The sergeants we're kid
naped July IL at Natanya.
The Jewish National Council, Vaad
Leumi, broadcast a warning to Irgtn
over the government-operated radio
declaring that ANY act of retalia-
ton against two innocent British
soldiers would be an objectionable
sin as well as a crime against Pales-
tine Jewry."
The underground source said that,
while Irgun Commander in Chief
Manachem had confirmed their SEN
tences, it was unlikely they would
be executed until the final DISPOSE
ton of the case of our, three SOL
diers." ...
The judges, he reported, were one
time Polish lawyers.
1rgun had held Martin and PAIGE
since their kidnapping and British
soldirers and police searched eight
Jewish vicinities near Tel Aviv last
night in an evident effort to liberate
the sergeants.
Hunt Pressed Today.
The hunt for the hostages con-
tinued throughout Palestine today,
but many government officials ex-
pressed fear they would not be found
alive.
Meanwhile, q reliable source said
the Palestine government, widening
its war of violence, planned to enact
law to permit destruction of houses
connected with suspected under
ground attacks.
In the Arab revolt of 1869, the
military and police blasted houses
from which gunfire or other attacks
came.
Last week the military commander
of the Haifa district ordered five
houses, near the scenes of attacks,
forfeited. Thirty-three families put
out of the houses were sheltered
temporarily in schools. They have
asked the Palestine Supreme Court
to return their homes.
Among Palestine executions of re-
cent years, today's hanging was ex-
ceeded only by that of last April 16,
in which Dow Bella Gruner and three
other Jews were put to death in the
same prison.
Less than three hours before the
executions, an empty pillbox near
the prison was blasted-apparently,
officials said, by a mine. No cas-
ualties were reported.
Heavy Guard Rings Prison.
Before the three Jews went to
the gallows, a heavy guard was set
up around the prison and soldiers
and police blocked off Tel Aviv, some
80 miles south of Acre.
The trap was reported sprung on
Nakar at 4 am, on Weiss at 4:23
and on Habib at 4:44. An unofficial
source said, police escorted families
of the condemned men to the prison
late last night.
The executed men were taken to
Safad north of the Sea of Tiberias
(Galilee). where relatives buried
them near the four Jews hanged in
April.
Only an hour after the hanging
had been made public, grenade
was thrown at a police armored car
in Jerusalem, giving rise to a 35-
minute general alarm sounded by
sirens.
A little later, police shot and
wounded a Jewish youth trying to
flee a checkpoSt here