Guns Among Luggage At London Hilton

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32385, 26 August 1970, Page 13

Guns Among Luggage At London Hilton

(N.Z.P. A.-Reuter —Copyright) LONDON, August 25. An American and two Lebanese were arrested at London’s Hilton Hotel after five sub-machine guns, revolvers and ammunition were seized in the hotel’s left-luggage department.

Armed detectives mingled casually with guests yesterday. Some were dressed in hotel uniforms, and they combed the hotel without raising the alarm. A strict security clamp was placed on the hotel by police. Press, radio and television were asked not to disclose details.

A Scotland Yard statement said: “Inquiries at the hotel

could endanger the lives of innocent people.” About 10 p.m. the police net closed and the three me : were led out of the hotel and taken in for questioning. Police said that the men would be charged today. The drama was believed to have started when police were warned to watch an aircraft that landed at London’s Heathrow Airport from New York early yesterday. Later unmarked squad cars followed a van into London. The trail led to the Hilton.

The Hilton is one of London’s prestige hotels. An as-

sistant manager said that the three men who were arrested had separate adjacent rooms bn the twenty-fourth floor. Most of the 700 guests knew nothing of the drama being acted out in their midst A member of the hotel staff told reporters: ; “1 saw two men loading two large packages wrapped in brown paper from the baggage room into a car. I did not know then what it was or who they were. Not until I rang home and my wife told me what had been said on the radio.” A police spokesman said later: “As a result of information received observation was kept at the hotel and resulted in three men ibeing arrested. Traced to their possession were five machineguns, two Browning automatic pistols, one .38 Cobra revolver and 1548 rounds of ammunition.”

Police said that they had no idea at present of the destination or intended use of the arms. Further details of the identity of the men were not immediately available.