Swiss Inquiry Into Attack On Legation

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27993, 13 June 1956, Page 13

Swiss Inquiry Into Attack On Legation

(Rec. 9.50 p.m.) BERNE, June 11

A 32-year-old sculptor, Obliviu Bckleanu, told a Swiss Court today that he believed that all foreign legations were centres of espionage.

The Court was trying four Rumanian-born anti-Communists. who were said to have stormed the Rumanian Legation in Berne in February. 1955. and to have held off the besieging police for 24 hours.

A legation chauffeur was killed by sub-machine gun fire during the attack.

The Swiss Public Prosecutor said in a 34-page indic.tpnent that the groups plan was to stbrm the legation, seize the keys to the strnns? boxes, and turn

over““important espionage” documents ' to interested Western governments. The indictment listed charges of political espionage and violence, or threats of violence, against members of the legation and Swiss police. Three of the four men were charged with the murder of the chauffeur. Giving evidence before the Judg« (Mr Paul Swartz) Beldeanu said hhad fled from Rumania to Jugoslavia in 1949 and formed an Association of Free Rumanians in Trieste. The Judge told Beldeanu that he must have realised that he and hi* companions in the legation raid would be arrested and they could no nothing BeldeAnu retorted: “I think we can do •nm*fhlnfl!. if one can way in nub-

I lie all that was found in the legation.” [The Swiss authorities said at the time of the incident that the documents found in the possession of the | men were handed back without delay to Rumanian Legation officials.! I The hearing will be resumed tomorrow.