Leuchter Arrested in London

American gas chamber expert Fred A. Leuchter Jr. was detained by British police at a private meeting in London on November 15, and held illegally overnight in a cold cell before being kicked out of the country.

Leuchter and his wife legally entered the United Kingdom at Dover, England, on November 11. Crossing the Channel from Calais, France, Leuchter dutifully presented his passport to a British customs official. Not finding his name on the listing of “undesirable” persons, the official put an entry stamp in the visitor's passport and permitted Leuchter and his wife to enter the country.

Leuchter was to speak at a meeting organized by David Irving – the first Revisionist conference ever held in Britain. Fred Leuchter is the author of the now famous “The Leuchter Report: The First Forensic Examination of Auschwitz.” Numerous threats were made by Zionist-Jewish activists who had announced that they would use violence to prevent any such assembly.

Irving opened the private meeting, which was held in London's Old Chelsea Town Hall. French professor Dr. Robert Faurisson spoke next, citing numerous reasons why the stories of the mass extermination gas chambers at Auschwitz and other camps are simply not possible.

When Leuchter stepped to the podium at about 9:00 p.m., the enthusiastic audience of about 350 gave the courageous American a standing ovation. He had spoken for just a few minutes when a policeman whispered from the side, “Can I have a word with you, sir?” Irving then rose to explain, “We'll have a five-minute pause while Mr. Leuchter speaks to a certain gentleman.”

Seeing that the authorities obviously wanted more than just “a word” with the guest, the audience broke into chants of “Freedom of Speech! Freedom of Speech!” as police took him away through a side entrance. Chief Inspector Philip Selwood dryly explained the situation to the press: “A gentleman by the name of Fred Leuchter has been made subject of an exclusion order to this country, and in order to resolve the matter a gentleman who goes by that name has agreed to come to the police station.”

Selwood acknowledged that Leuchter had not broken any law, and told him that even if the Home Secretary declared that he was in the country illegally, the American would be permitted to leave because he had made clear his intention to depart and had the financial means to do so.

After being held for three hours in “investigative custody” at the police station, word came “from very high up” that Leuchter was to be arrested. He was formally arrested at midnight, but was never charged. He was then held for 14 hours in an almost freezing jail cell (40 degrees F.) with common criminals.

Leuchter's detention for about 21 hours altogether was a violation of international law, because he was held without charge in spite of his repeated request that, as a foreign citizen holding a departure flight ticket, he be permitted to leave the country.

The U.S. embassy in London refused to intervene in the case. Normally even the most notorious criminal can expect an official of the consular section of the U.S. embassy to intervene to insure that a detained American citizen is treated according to law.

A formal statement protesting Leuchter's “inhumane, unjust and undemocratic” treatment had been made to the U.S. State Department, the British ambassador in Washington, and the United Nations Commission on Human Rights.

Adapted from: IHR Newsletter Feb. 1992 No.85, PO Box 2739, Newport Beach, CA 92659.