E. German general arrested in France

Press, 8 September 1980, Page 7

E. German general arrested in France

NZPA Paris The former chief of staff of the East German Air Force was arrested last month in northern France and has been charged with espionage, French officials said yesterday. Counter-espionage agents arrested General Heinz Bemhart Zorn, aged 68, on August 19 in Lille. He was found to be possessing French military .information, particularly pertaining to tanks and anti-tank weapons, an Interior Ministry spokesman said. Officials said that Zorn had arrived in France alone on a tourist visa at the beginning of August and had immediately been put under surveillance. He was arrested on a Lille street and found-to be in possession of military documents. Officials ' did not reveal

where Zorn obtained . the documents or if any. other foreigners or Frenchmen were involved.

The East German general was transferred immediately to Paris under the custody of the Direction de la Surveillance du Territoire, the French counter-espionage agency. Six days later, he was brought before the State Security Court and charged with espionage, officials said.

He is being held in Fleury Merogis Prison in the Paris suburbs. I Zorn was a Luftwaffe officer during-World War II and continued bis military career in the East German Air Force after the war, rising to chief of staff. French officials said he retired three years ago from his military post and began working for the' East German Secret Service.