§ 3.3 P.m.
§ LORD BROUGHSHANEMy Lords, I beg to ask the question standing in my name.
§ [The question was as follows:
§ To ask His Majesty's Government, what are the total British casualties caused by terrorists in Palestine: how many terrorists have been apprehended and tried; and what sentences have been inflicted upon them?]
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE ADMIRALTY (VISCOUNT HALL)My Lords, throughout the war years terrorism in Palestine was, I am glad to say, on a minor scale and few casualties were caused. Since August I, 1945, however, the following British casualties have been caused by Jewish terrorists:
These figures do not include casualties in the railway disaster caused by a terrorist mine on April 22 of which full details have not yet been received. During the same period 168 Jews were convicted by military courts for offences in connexion with terrorist activities. The majority of these were sentenced to terms of imprisonment, but twenty-eight were sentenced to death, of whom four were executed on April 16. Twenty-two persons have had their sentences commuted to life imprisonment, and two persons recently committed suicide while lying under sentence of death. In clashes with the military and police during this period thirty-three Jewish terrorists were 56 killed and at least twenty-nine are known to have been wounded.
Killed Wounded (including assaulted) Military 68 191 Police 30 49 Civilians 15 9
§ LORD BROUGHSHANECan the noble Viscount explain a situation in which two persons under sentence of death were enabled to take explosives into their cells and to commit suicide immediately before they were due for execution?
§ VISCOUNT HALLThe information I have received is that the explosives were taken into the cells in oranges. The insides were sucked out and I understand the explosives were then inserted.
§ LORD BROUGHSHANEI presume that precautions against the supply of fruits to condemned persons, except under supervision or inspection, will be taken in future.