CAIRO SPY TRIAL

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28253, 15 April 1957, Page 9

CAIRO SPY TRIAL

Defence Granted Postponement

(Rec. 9 p.m.) CAIRO, April 13. The trial of four Britons and 12 other defendants who appeared at the Cairo Criminal Assizes Court today on charges of spying was postponed at the request of the defence, until May 11. The accused appeared on charges of belonging to a Britishorganised spy ring. They include, apart from the four Britons who appeared in Court in custody today, another four Britons being tried in absentia, 11 Egyptians and a Jugoslav. The defence requested the postponement immediately the trial began today, on the ground that they needed more time to study the 1200 typewritten pages of the file on the case. The trial was open to the public and the courtroom was packed. One hundred black-uniformed policemen guarded the Bab el Khalek Court as the four Britons entered. They were not handcuffed. The four men are: James Swinburn, 51, Cairo manager of the Arab News Agency; Charles Pittuck, 45, of the Marconi Radio Telegraph Company of Egypt; James Zarb. 37, a Maltese businessman; and John Thornton Stanley, of the Prudential Life Assurance Company. The _ large courtroom had a Hollywood film-stage appearance with scores of photographers at work and huge arc lamps of American television companies beating down on the proceedings

The television and sound recording coverage of the trial has been allowed by the President of the Court, Judge Abdel Latif. Two policemen and one officer escorted each Briton to the dock. James Swinburn led the way. A total of 14 lawyers represented the defence.

The Court’s decision to postpone the trial to May 11 was read by Judge Latif after the half-hour recess during which the Judges discussed the defence plea. The Court’s decision maintains custody for all accused except one Egyptian, who already has been released on bail.