Arrests In Austria Said To Be Linked With Arms For Jews

Wanganui Chronicle, 15 January 1949, Page 5

Arrests In Austria Said To Be Linked With Arms For Jews

Widespread International Body Believed To Be Active

*_ VIENNA, Jan. 14 (Rec. 6 pm).—The Austrian police have issued warrants for the arrest for smuggling of three men said to be associates of Bruno Seletzky, described as “The Basil Zaharoff of South-east Europe.”

The warrants follow recent allegations that a widespread international organisation has been engaged in taking high-priced goods into Austria disguised as gift parcels for displaced persons. Money secured from thesales of these goods is said to have been used to buy arms for Palestine. It is now alleged that Continental planes have been used to fly some of these goods to Budapest, which is a clearing centre for smuggling, and that these planes have been given clearance through Vienna by Russian authorities. The warrants are for the arrest of Hie Ciuraru, David Weidenfeld, and Dr. Sache Klani, all of Rumanian birth, but Austrian nationality. It is understood Weidenfeld is now in Paris, and Ciuraru and Klein, as well as Seletzky. are in Czechoslovakia.

Seletzky is also wanted by the Austrian police- He was born in Poland and has been described as "one of the best known illicit dealers in arms in South-east Europe.” Five days ago five other men were arrested in Vienna and accused of utilising the Austrian firm of Hoffnung to bring into Austria gift parcels for sale so that the proceeds could be used to purchase arms for Palestine. Recently ten flights of a Continental air line passed through Vienna for Budapest. It has been discovered that each flight carried 2,000,000 American cigarettes loaded in Brussels. International police believe Jewish agents lin Budapest, to whom the cigarettes were addressed, and who formerly were engaged in smuggling recruits to the Jewish forces in Palestine, are ' now engaged in buying and transport- ■ ing arms to Palestine. Most of the | arms are known to have come from the Czechoslovak Skoda works, but | some came from Italy.