PLANTED BOMBS

Evening Star, Issue 25928, 21 October 1946, Page 7

PLANTED BOMBS

EXPLOSIONS IN STUTTGART ATTEMPTS TO DESTROY NAZI RECORDS YRec. 11.25 a.m.) LONDON. October 20. Three, widely scattered explosions damaged American Military Government buildings in the Stuttgart area last night. A public Relations officer said the explosions were obviously caused by planted bombs. There were no casualties. General Clay said he believed the explosions were prepetrated by Nazis hoping to destroy records in the German Denazification Courts because they feared trial. He added that when responsibility for Denazification was handed over to the Germans, incidents of this sort were to be expected. The first of the bombs exploded at 7 p.m. local time outside the building of the Spruchlrammer (the American appointed German Denazification Board), at Backnang. A small fire followed the explosion. The bombs were apparently made from several sticks of T.N.T. in a container. The second explosion was at 5.40 p.m. outsde the American military police gaol in Stuttgart proper. It damaged the foundations, and rocked the guards inside. The third also occurred at 8.40 p.m., this bomb being placed on the windowsill of the Stuttgart Spruchkammer causing part pf the outer wall to collapse and damaging the room, but not harming the records of the local Nazis. Both the Stuttgart bombs appeared to be made from old 75mm shell casings, apparently .time-fused., , The British United Press correspondent says a mysterious fire broke out in Unrra headquarters near Stuttgart about the time the second bomb exploded. The German police said they suspected the bombs were part of a plot to release or kill Schacht, who was imprisoned in the German goal at. Stuttgart, and who is due to appear soon before the Spruchkammer. He was originally arrested at Backnang.