AXIS ORGANISATIONS RAIDED

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVIII, Issue 21816, 20 November 1940, Page 7

AXIS ORGANISATIONS RAIDED

American Vigilance United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright (Received November 19, 8.27 p.m.) CHICAGO. November 18. Mr Martip Dies announced that the committee’s agents were raiding German and Italian organisations in various parts of the country seeking records of membership 'lists. He added that 10 Italian-American organisations had been subpoenaed to produce complete membership, financial and publicity records. Former Agent Is “Star Witness” Mr Dies questioned several, including leaders of German organisations. He announced before the hearing opened that "sweeping activities of subversive organisations of an important foreign power operating in America” would be revealed by a star witness who was a former agent of a foreign power. Heinrich Peter Fassbender who arrived from Los Angeles for questioning, told the press: “I started as an agent for the Nazi Government in 1935 "and worked in Spain and Belgium before being sent to America. I travelled on a German passport with a Tokio visa.” He said he agreed to testify before the Committee on the promise not to be extradited. Mr Dies announced that Fassbender admitted having received cheques from the German Government varying from 100 to 200 dollars and said that Fassbender admitted that he had photographs of industrial plants and the names of persons he was connected with admitted industrial and military espionage.