-Thursday. Octobers, 1991 — THE BUfcLETIN — 3
Zundel supporter says John Bail tried to be'
By ETHAN MINOViTZ
Former Richmond East Socred candidate John BalFs involvement with Ernst Zundel may go far beyond researching photos for the Toronto publisher during his initial 198S trial for spreading false news.
A pro-Nazi newsletter asserted three years ago that Ball, a geolo^st, attempted to appear as an **expert witnes** duriii^Zunders retrial in 1988 before the Ontario Court of Appeal, The Bulletin has learned.
The May 1988 issue of Insight^ a newsletter with a New Westminster mailing address, contained an account by its publisher, Heinz KoppCi who claimed to have attended ZundeFs second trial.
He described "Mr. John Bair as a "tenth witness** on ZundeFs behalf. Koppe, a Zundel supporter, added that **Mr. J. Ball was not accepted by the court as an expert witness.**
A Vancouver Sun report last week quoted Terry Scherck, a Surrey printing shop owner^ as saying that BalU a foniier pblta i^sident, was a ^prinicipal** behind the neyi^lett^i;^p|^it^i^ S(Merc1k told tlie^^^ BJafl wrote headlines, chose photos and designed pages -for the publication^'-which V printed articles haiiling Addlf Hitler.
Koppe*s first name and his Delta telephone number were given as the contact on posters for an appearance by British historian David Irving, who^ asserts that the extent of the Holocaust has been grossly exaggerated. Irving*s appearance, scheduled for last Thursday at the Cl^rbatian Cultural Centre, was subsequently cancelled.
Al Campbell, a Smithers geologist who worked with Bali during the 1980s, told 7%^ ^/t that Ball offered to lend him Nazi hate literature.
Dan Toulgoet/Richmond News
BALL BOUNCED: Former Richmond East Social Credit candidate John Ball (left). Signs t>oosting Ball were removed from front of campaign off ice after resignation, iiut someone didn't get around to biacic of building (right).
Campbell said their friend- suiting basis, but that does not
ship ended following the episode.
Hours after his links with Zundel at his 1985 trial were made public last week. Ball resigned as the Social Credit candidate for Richmond East in the Oct. 17 provincial election.■ ■ ■' ■ ■. ' Ball was named in The Great Holocaust Trial, a pro-Zundel; diatribe by Michalel Hoffnulii: The 9S-pa^^ published iia 1985 by the California-based Institute for. Historical Review, described Ball as a "member of the.. revisionist... . rcsearch^team on the scene** at the Zundel trial.-. J;'"-'"'''^:::.';^
"1 was not part pf any team, and did not meet brjwork with any of ZundeFs suipporters,** Ball told reporters outside his campaign office while announcing his resignation. ^Rather, I worked on my own and was paid a consultant fee plus expenses.
*i investigate a variety of subjects for clients on a con-
mean I share the same beliefs or ideology with any of them.** Ball claimed, "Fve been falsely accused. I also know that in politics, perception is very important.**
During a campaign stop in Powell River, Preqiier; Rita Johnston told reporters: "1 happen to think that this is an unfortunate incident that has been blown a wee bit out of '■proportibii.'*;^^
Countered NDP leader Mike Harcourt, also on the hustings: "1 think for an extremist to get the nomination and endorsement... and then to ... admit that he was involved with Ernst Zundel, was doing research for him, was recruited at Ernst Zun-ders trial in Toronto to try to disprove the Holocaust, shows that it is a very, very serious matter.**
"Under the circumstances, the move for Mr. Ball to step aside, in my mind, is appropriate,** said Johnston. Ball admittied to reporters
FromPagel
risk losing a pioneering chance to establish a Palestinian homeland.
Meanwhile, the U.S. has promised Palestinians the delegation chosen to attend the conference will be of their own selection and nbt subject toahlsraeli veto, Israel Radio reported iastweek.v
That was one of the guarantees contained in a letter to US. Secretary of State James Baker reportedly ^ve Palestinian representative Faisal Husseini^hen they^met in Jerusalem two Weeks ago.
The U.S. aisostipulated the Palestinian delegation would be part of an overall Jordanian delegation. Representatives of East Jerusalem and the Palestinian diaspora would participate in negotiations, but only in the final stage, the letter said.
Husseini is believed to have conveyed the letter to the PLO for consideration at the PNC meeting.
Israel Radio said it obtained
a copy of the document last week, covering the following points:
• The regional conference will be based on implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338 and assurance of Palestinians* legal rights.
• The U.S. seeks a close connection between Palestinians and Israel, which will ensure the security and politi-. cal rights of ail parties.
• The regional conference will open witli all parties* consent. Direct talks between parties will begin not later than two days after the opening, and regional- problems will be discussed not latei than two weeks after the opening. .
• Palestinians will choose their representatives, who will form a Palestinian delegation within the Jordanian delegation. There will be no vcJto. of the Palestinian delegation*s composition.
• Representatives of East
Jerusalem and the Palestinian diaspora will take part in negotiations only in the second stage of the talks, which will deal with final arrangements for solving the Mideast conflict. East Jerusalem will be represented by Jordan through its delegation.
• There will be a five-year transitional period, intended to ensure peaceful transfer of power from Israel tciPalesti-nians in the Administered Territories. Discussion of final arrangements will begin in the third year of this period. _ -• A confederation with Jordan is a reasonable possibility for-the final arrangement.
• The U.S. is opposed to Jewish settlements in the West Bank, which it regards as an obstacle to peace.
According to Israel Radio, the U.S. letter ruled out either Washington or Cairo as the conference site, and proposed it be held either in The Hague or in Prague.
that he attended ^n April 1986 meeting of the Canadian Free Speech League, which specializes in defending free speech for Holocaust-deniers and anti-Semites. The North Vancouver meeting was addressed by Doug Christie of Victoria, Zunders lawyer.
Despite Ball's involvement in the 1985 Zundel trial, he told reporters he didn*t know Christie during the time of the meeting. "I went to hear a meeting about free speech, I suppose. We*ll just leave it at that.**
Bairs two main opponents in Richmond East said they had. heard inklings of his Zundel connections before the story broke last week.
NDP challenger Ron Fontaine remarked, "It is very, very ^sad that the [Jewish] people, after going through such a terrible and tragic ordeal, have to hear today that there are still people around with this kind of attitude.'*
Liberal candidate Linda Reid recalled "some rumblings about [Ball] being ack-owledged in the book, but there was nothing conclusive until the last couple of days.*'
Although gratified >yith Ball's resignation, Canadian Jewish Congress (Pacific Region) president Michael Elterman expressed concern over what the CJC called Johnston's "rather lukewarm denunciation** of the candidate and his views.
"We are hopeful that the premier will be as outraged as all decent Canadians are with the startling revelations. However, her careful statements and her resistance in
completely and ^litrjghtly refuting John Ball and his views is unsettling,** Elterman stated.
Elterman said Ball's resignation following his exposure "reaffirms that Canadians will not tolerate this form of extremism.**
Bairs abortive candidacy in Richmond East was not his first attempt at political office. Delta North Social Credit candidate Rick Green said Ball ran against him for
the ridingV nomination in September 1990, winningnine of about 450 votes. .
"The first time I heard of John Ball was three weeks before the noniinatipn meeting,** Greentbld The Bulletin. He said he had nut known of Ball*s connections with Zundel until the" story broke last week.
Green said Ball had planned to run for Delta municipal council last November, but never did.
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