Israeli Censor Clears Message Vanunu Displayed on His Palm

The Israeli military censor Monday gave journalists permission to report the contents of a message that former nuclear technician Mordechai Vanunu wrote and displayed on the palm of his hand the previous day while being taken to court--that Israeli agents had kidnaped him in Rome.

Friends have insisted that Vanunu was abducted by Israeli agents and returned to Israel. The government has made no official comment on the accusation. On Monday, however, the West German news agency Deutsche Presse-Agentur quoted unidentified senior government officials as admitting that Vanunu was kidnaped Sept. 30 in Rome.

The silent message displayed Sunday was the first word from Vanunu, who has been held incommunicado since being brought to Israel in October to await trial on charges of espionage.

The Sunday Times of London reported Oct. 5 that Vanunu gave the newspaper information on a factory in the Negev Desert, where he said Israel has made 100 to 200 nuclear weapons.

Message on His Palm

Vanunu, 32, wrote a message on his palm in English and quickly showed it to reporters Sunday on his way to Jerusalem District Court.

Reporters were unable to make out the message, but photographs of his palm indicated that it read: “Vanunu M. was hijacked in Rome Itl. 30.9.86 2100 Came to Rome by BA Fly 504.” The numbers apparently refer to Sept. 30, 1986, at 9 p.m.--the date and time of the supposed abduction.

Reporters fired questions at Vanunu as he left court, asking where he was kidnaped. Vanunu shouted “Italy!” and a policeman clamped a hand over his mouth. That word, too, was initially censored by Israel.

Disappeared in London

Vanunu disappeared in London on Sept. 30, and news reports had said he was kidnaped from England or from international waters by agents of the Mossad, the Israeli secret service.

Israel has refused to reveal how he got back to Israel but has said it broke no British laws.

The London Evening Standard reported Monday that Vanunu was enticed aboard British Airways Flight 504 from London’s Heathrow Airport to Rome by a Mossad agent named Cindy. The Standard did not say how it received the report and gave no details of the purported abduction.

There was no indication why the censor lifted the 20-hour ban on publication of Vanunu’s message.

Behind Closed Doors

The court ordered Vanunu held in custody until his trial, which will be held behind closed doors. No date has been set.

Vanunu is charged with aiding an enemy in wartime and two counts of aggravated espionage, defined as passing information with intent to harm. The wartime charge refers to the fact that Israel is in a technical state of war with all but one of its Arab neighbors, Egypt.

Vanunu was employed as a technician for 10 years at Israel’s Dimona nuclear facility about 85 miles from Tel Aviv. He was discharged last year.

Israel does not reveal any information about its nuclear capacity, saying only that it will not be the first nation to introduce nuclear weapons to the Middle East.