Evening star., 1948-10-10
Stern Gang Terrorist,
Return 10 Jail After
Mass Break in Jaffa
BY the Assoeioisd Press

BY the Assoeofed Press
TEL AVN, Israel, Oct. o.
Stern Gang terrorists staged a
mass jailbreak IN nearby Jaffa
today. Late tonight all except
about a dozen were reported to
have returned to their cells, most
Of them voluntarily.
An estimated 120 Sternists scoffed
at Israel authority by breaking out
OF their heavily waterfront
prison and seized temporary con-
troll Of the building.
Scores fed from the scene. Others
calmly bathed in the Mediterranean
and visited nearby coffee houses in
an amazing gesture Of disdain for
Israeli authorities who have pub
licly declared the Stern Gang
smashed. Some of the Sternists
strolled in and out of the prison
gates and welcomed journalists who
visited them.
-Four Reported Wounded.
Four persons were reported
slightly wounded in the Jewish sab
bath jailbreak before Sternists
climbed to the roof and silenced a
lone Bren gun being fired by a
guard.
The Jail presumably held most of
the $50 Sternists arrested after the
assassination of Count Folke Ber-
nadotte, the United Nations medi-
ator. However, Nathan Friedman
Yelltn and other top leaders were
imprisoned elsewhere, reliable
sources said.
Israeli military police threw a
tight Gordon around the entire
northern sector Of Jaffa in an at
tempt to hold the prisoners within
. six to eight block area.
Sternist prisoners who talked
freely to newsmen gave the estimate
that 120 got out of the Jail. Be-
tween Is and so went for a swim or
visited with relatives nearby, then
returned voluntarily.
Guards Seen in Cafeteria.
An Associated Press reporter and
photographer admitted to the Jail
by the Sternists themselves saw the
disarmed guards quietly eating in
the cafeteria.
Our Israel is such a small coun-
try one Sternist explained. I've
nowhere to hide. So just had a
swim"
The sternists said a large group
Of relatives and friends had gath
cred outside the barbed wire Jail en-
closure hoping for Sabbath visit.
Maj. Joel Caspi, the Jail commander,
turned them down. Maj. Caspi is
not liked by the Sternists because
they say he was the only Jewish Of
ficer of the British organized Trans
Jordan frontier force.
Angry when they saw the crowd
Of relatives refused admittance, the
prisoners hurled mattresses across
the barbed wire. With this protec-
ton, many Sternists leaped the wire
and began disarming the guards
The rest of the guards were said to
have surrendered to avoid blood
shed.
No Censorship Imposed.
Israeli authorities imposed no GEN.
sorship on accounts Of the break
Both sides appeared to be trying tc
avoid violence.
A brief official statement from
jana police headquarters said the
guards were "oyerpowered." Ster.
nkts said the military police, who
had been hand picked and trained
to guard the terrorist group, gave ur
their arms without a fight after fir'
ing a few shots in the air.
Newsmen saw Sternists who chose
10 remain In the prison walk across
the street, buy beer and bring II
back to their cells. They shared
their bottles with 40 or more mill
tary police, their erstwhle guards
Investigation Ordered.
Sternists said they could have
escaped at any time. They pointed
at one wing of the jail where they
said they had ripped bars out Of
a window several days ago. It was
from there they poured out and
hurled the mattresses across the
barbed wire in today's break.
Israeli government press officers
failed to get through to the Jail. Six
hours after the break there was nc
official government account of what
had happened.
A government spokesman said the
army had ordered court Of inquiry
to investigate police guard of the
prison, circumstances of the break
and responsibility for inadequate
action to halt the fugitives.
Israeli Press Awaits Order.
Although foreign correspondent!
were allowed to send dispatche.
about the break without restric.
tions, at midnight (Tel Aviv time.
1t had not been decided whether o.
in what form the Hebrew pres!
might print the story.
The Israeli censor said he wa
still awaiting instructions on wheth
er or how to pass stories for Israel
Sunday morning papers.
The news was expected to hav,
SOAloloCl dD1C HOllIlSdl 4ulpdCI llCI'
and many Jews feared it.. Nigh
have even more abroad. Some sait
they feared the break and tn,
failure Of hand-picked MP guard
to resist might suggest that tn
anti-terrorist law and the speed,
arrests were more window dressin,
than serious.
Israelis Battle Egyptians.
Israeli and Egyptian forces battle
today in the area of the dispute
Negeb in what a Jewish arm
spokesman said was the biggest seal
fighting of the Palestine truce.
The spokesman refused commen
on speculation whether the arm
considered the fighting the start G
a full scale war on the souther
desert front.
The spokesman said Egyptia
planes bombed Dorot settlemer
twice and Ruhama, Niram and ca
once each. Egyptian artiller
shelled Neba and Beer Tuvia, Ga