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0920Z 21 June 1967 transmitted message text from
U.S. Defense Attache Office, Tel Aviv to
White House and
Office of Secretary of Defense and
Chief of Naval Operations and
Department of State and others

O P 210910Z JUN 67
FM USDAO TEL AVIV ISRAEL
TO WHITE HOUSE
OSD
CNO
DEPT STATE
COMSIXTHFLT
CINCSTRIKE
CINCNAVEUR
JCS
INFO DIA
USUN
CINCEUR-USEUCOM
CTG SIX ZERO PT TWO
USAFE
CINCUSAEUR
CTG SIX ZERO
USDAO LONDON
USDAO PARIS
USDAO MOSCOW
BT
C O N F I D E N T I A L 0948 JUN 67.
SUBJECT: COURT OF INQUIRY IN USS LIBERTY INCIDENT.
REF: USDAO CONFIDENTIAL 0928 JUN 67. [181030Z JUN 67]
   1. ALUSNA CALLED TO FLO LATE EVENING 20 JUN. LT COL BLOCH
PRESENTED FOLLOWING OFFICIAL STATEMENT WHICH IS BEING RELEASED TO
ISRAEL PUBLIC. QUOTE THE COURT OF INQUIRY NOMINATED BY THE CHIEF
OF THE GENERAL STAFF IN CONSEQUENCE OF THE TRAGIC INCIDENT WITH
THE USS LIBERTY HAS PRESENTED ITS REPORT WHICH WAS TRANSMITTED TO
THE MILITARY ADVOCATE GENERAL. AFTER E[XA]M[I]NING THE EVIDENCE
THE LATTER HAS DECIDED ON THE HOLDING OF A PRELIMINARY JUDICIAL
INQUIRY BY A MILITARY OFFICER, LEGALLY QUALIFIED, WHO IS
EMPOWERED BY LAW TO DECIDE ON THE COMMITTAL FOR TRIAL OF ANY
PERSON. THE PRESIDENT OF THE APPEAL COURT MARTIAL (SIC) HAS
NOMINATED LT COL ISAIAH JERUSHALMI, ONE OF THE LEGALLY QUALIFIED
JUDGES OF THE APPEAL COURT MARTIAL TO HOLD THE INQUIRY UNQUOTE.
   2. LT COL BLOCH AND LT COL LEWIN (SENIOR FLO) MADE FOLLOWING
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: THE COS HAS RECEIVED THE FINDINGS OF THE
COURT OF INQUIRY (COL RON) APPOINTED BY HIM. COS FORWARDED THE
FINDINGS TO JAG COL SHIMGAR. AFTER EXAMINING THE EVIDENCE JAG
RECOMMENDED THAT A PRELIMINARY JUDICIAL INQUIRY BE HELD. AS A
RESULT THE PRESIDENT OF THE HIGHEST IDF MILITARY COURT, THAT IS,
THE APPEAL COURT-MARTIAL APPOINTED AS THE PRELIMINARY JUDICIAL
INQUIRY, A PERMANENT MEMBER OF THE APPEAL COURT-MARTIAL, LT COL
ISAIAH JERUSHALMI WHO IS A QUALIFIED LAWYER AND FORMER JAG OF THE
NAVY AND OF THE AIR FORCE. THIS INQUIRY WILL DETERMINE IF THERE
IS ANY INDIVIDUAL OR INDIVIDUALS AGAINST WHOM ANY CHARGES COULD
BE BROUGHT.
   3. LT COL BLOCH FURTHER STATED THAT THE IDF AGPEES (SIC) TO
HEAR TESTIMONY OR WITNESS THE USN OR USG IS INTERESTED IN
PROVIDING IN THIS CASE.
   4. COMMENT: LT COL BLOCH SAID TODAY THAT GENL GEVA, THE ISRAELI
MILITARY ATTACHE TO WAS DC, WILL PRESENT THE ANNOUNCEMENT IN PARA
1 TO THE USG. GP-3
BT

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