Arab guerrillas threaten to poison Israeli fruit

Press, 25 January 1979, Page 8

Arab guerrillas threaten to poison Israeli fruit

NZPA-Reuter The Hague An Arab extremist group; has threatened to poison Is-| raeli exports of fruit and vegetables to Europe, according to letters posted to Govi ernments in the last few ■ days, Both the Dutch and Swedi ish Governments received [letters signed by the “A.R.A.” — believed to 'stand for Arab Revolutionary Army — saying the poisoning would be on a large i scale and affect all seasonal i citrus fruit. A similar letter was received at the head (office of Reuters news agenIcy in London. ;. The letter — posted in I London — said copies had I also been sent to countries

within the European Econiomic Community, as well as Rumania and Yugoslavia. | Last year the A.R.A. sent similar letters to European Governments and shortly afterwards Israeli-grown oranges injected with harmless metallic mercury were discovered in Britain, the Netherlands, West Germany, Belgium. and Switzerland. Six children were taken ill but' not seriously affected. The Palestine Liberation.

■ [ Organisation — the umbrella > [ body covering most of the ! Palestinian guerrilla groups tl— issued a denial in Damt! ascus that it had anything to ddo with the recent letters -land said it had not heard of >[the Arab Revolutionary! -[Army. -! The letters threatened that; - last year’s campaign would, :I be intensified and this time ( t|lethal doses of poison would! [be used, unless certain de-i ilmands were met.

i The demands laid out in t the letter received by Reu- > ters said such actions would ■ continue until “the founda- ■ tion of a democratic State in ; all Palestine” — which corf responds to the hard-line reijectionist guerrillas’ policy. ! But it was coupled with :|some apparently contradictory conditions which! :!appeared to mean that an Is-| !|raeli State, as opposed to; [Jewish individuals, could re-i [main in Palestine.