ISRAEL: JERUSALEM: ACCUSED AUSTRALIAN ROHAN APPEARS AT AL AOSA INQUIRY COMMISSION BY MISTAKE

Record ID: 399609

  • Title: ISRAEL: JERUSALEM: ACCUSED AUSTRALIAN ROHAN APPEARS AT AL AOSA INQUIRY COMMISSION BY MISTAKE
  • Date: 4th September 1969
  • Summary: COURT BUILDING; INTERIOR - MEMBERS OF INQUIRY ENTER CHAMBER; ROHAN WITH POLICE ESCORT; SPECTATORS IN PULIC GALLERY; POLICE COMMANDER TESTIFIES; ATTORNEY GENERAL; KEEPER OF THE DOME OF THE ROCK; MOSQUE KEEPER. Initials MJS/VS/JF/ES Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 19th September 1969 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: JERUSALEM
  • City:
  • Country: Israel
  • Reuters ID: LVAC8QSE5Y3B2Z7B62F7D3VB5ER8
  • Story Text: DENNIS MICHAEL ROHAN, THE YOUNG AUSTRALIAN SHEEP-SHEARER ACCUSED OF SETTING FIRE OF THE AL AOSA MOSQUE, APPEARED AT THE OFFICIAL INQUIRY INTO THE FIRE YESTERDAY -- BY MISTAKE.

    ROHAN WAS DUE IN THE CHAMBERS OF THE DISTRICT JUDGE, WHICH ARE ALSO IN JERUSALEM'S HIGH COURT BUILDING, FOR AN EXTENSION OF REMANO. BUT HIS POLICE ESCORT TOOK HIM THROUGH THE WRONG DOOR.

    HE MADE HIS UNSCHEDULED APPEARANCE BEFORE THE FIVE-MEN COMMISSION OF INQUIRY AFTER THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, MR MEIR SHANGAR, HAS SAID THAT THE ACCUSED MAN HAD DECLINED TO APPEAR BEFORE IT.

    DURING HIS EIGHT MINUTES IN THE COURT, ROHAN SAID NOTHING. WHEN HIS ESCORT REALISED THEIR MISTAKE, THEY BUNDLED HIM DOWN THE CORRIDOR INTO THE CORRECT ROOM. THERE, HIS REMANO WAS EXTENDED PENDING TRIAL, AND HE WAS GIVEN PERMISSION TO RECEIVE AUSTRALIAN NEWSPAPERS. HE ALSO OFFERED NO OBJECTION TO TELEVISION AT HIS TRIAL.

    DURING THE SESSION IN WHICH THE INCIDENT OCCURRED, THE COMMISSION WAS HEARING EVIDENCE FROM ISRAELI POLICE COMMANDER ??? BAR ELI, AND ARAB GUARDS -- INCLUDING THE KEEPER OF THE DOME OF THE ROCK -- WHO WERE ON DUTY NEAR THE MOSQUE WHEN THE FIRE STARTED.

    IT WAS ANNOUNCED YESTERDAY THAT A PROMINENT ISRAELI ATTORNEY MR YITZHAK TUNIK, HAS ACCEPTED A COURT APPOINTMENT TO REPRESENT ROHAN AT HIS TRIAL.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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