FOREIGN RELATIONS, 1,9 4 6, VOLUME VI



State Bank in August. . . . The following are facts re Fultz' "ac-
quaintance with persons being tried".
  (1) (Known) Abdyl Sharra, chief engineer of project, graduate
of technical school. Met twice since Fultz' return Albania, once
early summer 1945, conversation less than 5 minutes each occasion,
no other communication of any kind.
  (2) (Unknown) Vasil Mano, engineer Sharra's staff, purportedly
one of three chief conspirators with Sharra and Mano's wife, name
unknown to Fultz up to first day of trial.
  (3) (Unknown) Zyrika Mano, wife of Vasil, name unknown to
Fultz up to first day trial.
  (4) (Known) Kujtim Beqiri, engineer graduate of technical school,
met twice since return, brief call May 1945 and once autumn 1945 at
bridge ceremony, no other communication of any kind.
  (5) (Known) Pandele Zografi, technician known as student at
technical school, not met since Fultz return Albania. Plays minor
role in trial.
  (6) (Unknown) Other witnesses and minor defendants in trial un-
known to Fultz, including two Italians and Aleks Vasili, Albanian.
  Fultz' casual meeting with Sharra and Beqiri took place months
before Maliq project was started and had no connection therewith;
Fultz did not know Sharra was director of project until fact brought
out in trial.
  Albanian Government over year ago began discouraging Albanian
citizens from associating with Mission and since the beginning of
year this policy has been enforced to point of terrorization. For this
reason, all former students of technical school have avoided meeting
Fultz or communicating with him in any way.
  On basis of its experience in Albania during past year, Mission can
reliably state that following methods of torture are used by Hoxha
regime for purpose of obtaining false confessions: Gashing leg, filling
with salt, victims are known to have actually exhibited such wounds;
electric current through decayed teeth or through bone in rear of
ear; prolonged immersion in cold water up to neck; beating; splinters
under fingernails; going through all preparations for execution even
to firing blanks.
  With regard to present trial, (1) above methods so well known that
prisoners out of sheer terror may have made false confessions in hope
of being spared or promise of being spared; (2) photograph of de-
fendant Sharra during trial shows drawn emaciated features as evi-
dence of torture and pressure.
Another aspect of case that should be noted is that Kujtim Beqiri
on witness stand denied receiving any gold from Fultz or anyone
else or of having received any instructions to delay work on project.
Beqiri's denial was not only heard in court room but also over public



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