89
2.
they retracted their confession and alleged torture. You
added moreover that the Municipal Police gained the impression
that the men had in fact been water-tortured and that the con-
fessions were false.
Am I correct in assuming that the further statements now
quoted in paragraph 3 were made by the men while still under
Japanese detention? Were these admissions made by two men only
as previously reported or by all four as now stated; and is
there any independent evidence to support this particular charge against any or all of them? It is not sufficient for the purpose
of the assassination charge to say that they are members of a
terrorist gang without producing some evidence of a criminal act.
If there were independent evidence to support statement in
paragraph 3 referred to above we might then re-consider our
attitude.
Repeated to Shanghai No.470 and Tokyo No. 283.