ACCUSED MEN IN COURT - HEARING JUDGEMENT.




Initials AA/V/CCT/SGM


EDITORS: 8042/66 (20 AUGUST '66) BOMB EXPLOSION OUTSIDE ALITALIA OFFICE.

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: TWO AUSTRIANS WERE JAILED BY A VIENNA COURT TODAY (WEDNESDAY) FOR EXPLODING A BOMB IN FRONT OF THE ITALIAN AIRLINES ALITALIA OFFICE IN VIENNA LAST AUGUST.

IT WAS BELIEVED THAT THE EXPLOSION WAS ANOTHER RIGHT WING ATTACK PROTESTING AGAINST ITALIAN ACTION IN THE DISPUTED SOUTH TYROL (ALTO ADIGE) PROVINCE.

HANNES FALK, WHO PLEADED NOT GUILTY, WAS REGARDED AS THE MASTERMIND BEHIND THE ATTACK WHICH CAUSED DAMAGE TOTALLING MORE THAN 1,700,000 SCHILLINGS (ABOUT GBP22,000). EMANUAL KUBART ADMITTED HIS POLE AS THE EXPLOSIVES' EXPERT.

THE COURT SENTENCED FALK, WHO IS 33 YEARS OLD, TO SEVEN YEARS IMPRISONMENT, AND KUBART TO SIX YEARS.

(SOUTH TYROL, CALLED ALTO ADIGE BY THE ITALIANS, WAS FORMERLY PART OF THE AUSTRO-HUNGARIAN EMPIRE BUT WAS CEDED TO ITALY AFTER THE FIRST WORLD WAR. THE BULK OF ITS POPULATION SPEAKS GERMAN. DEMANDS BY GERMAN-SPEAKING EXTREMISTS FOR AUTONOMY FOR ALTO ADIGE OR INCORPORATION IN AUSTRIA HAVE BEEN ACCOMPANIED BY OUTBREAKS OF VIOLENCE.)