31 may 2017
Israeli police investigators probing corruption suspicions against right-wing interior minister Aryeh Deri were reportedly considering requesting that the minister be placed under house arrest, the Hebrew media reported Monday.
Deri and his wife Yaffa were being questioned separately for about 11 hours by the police’s Lahav 433 investigation unit on Monday, and police sources indicated they would be called back for a second round of questioning.
They were grilled on wide range of graft accusations, including money laundering, fraud and breach of trust, theft, fraudulent registration, and tax offenses, the police said in a statement.
A few hours before the couple were questioned, police officers arrested 14 other people in connection with the same graft probe. Many of the details of the probe, including the identities of some of those arrested, are under a police gag order.
The Israeli police were also said to be considering asking that Deri, who heads the ultra-Orthodox Shas party, be suspended from his duties as interior minister.
As a member of Knesset Deri enjoys parliamentary immunity, so police would require the approval of the attorney general as well as the Knesset itself to implement any direct measures against the interior minister.
Last year, Israeli attorney general Avichai Mandelblit authorized an Israeli fraud investigation unit to launch a criminal investigation into Deri’s dealings.
In the past few weeks, the investigation has drawn close to its final stage after police gathered evidence against Deri and his wife.
A year ago Deri’s brother Shlomo was also questioned by the police as part of the same investigation.
Deri served 22 months in prison from 2000 to 2002 after he was convicted of taking bribes while serving as interior minister, and returned to politics earlier this decade.
He reclaimed the leadership of his Shas party shortly before last year’s Knesset elections, replacing Eli Yishai. He returned to his interior ministry post earlier this year after a court ruled that his prior conviction did not disqualify him from the position.
Deri and his wife Yaffa were being questioned separately for about 11 hours by the police’s Lahav 433 investigation unit on Monday, and police sources indicated they would be called back for a second round of questioning.
They were grilled on wide range of graft accusations, including money laundering, fraud and breach of trust, theft, fraudulent registration, and tax offenses, the police said in a statement.
A few hours before the couple were questioned, police officers arrested 14 other people in connection with the same graft probe. Many of the details of the probe, including the identities of some of those arrested, are under a police gag order.
The Israeli police were also said to be considering asking that Deri, who heads the ultra-Orthodox Shas party, be suspended from his duties as interior minister.
As a member of Knesset Deri enjoys parliamentary immunity, so police would require the approval of the attorney general as well as the Knesset itself to implement any direct measures against the interior minister.
Last year, Israeli attorney general Avichai Mandelblit authorized an Israeli fraud investigation unit to launch a criminal investigation into Deri’s dealings.
In the past few weeks, the investigation has drawn close to its final stage after police gathered evidence against Deri and his wife.
A year ago Deri’s brother Shlomo was also questioned by the police as part of the same investigation.
Deri served 22 months in prison from 2000 to 2002 after he was convicted of taking bribes while serving as interior minister, and returned to politics earlier this decade.
He reclaimed the leadership of his Shas party shortly before last year’s Knesset elections, replacing Eli Yishai. He returned to his interior ministry post earlier this year after a court ruled that his prior conviction did not disqualify him from the position.
24 mar 2017
He called hundreds of Jewish institutions across causing panic, and two years ago, he even caused the emergency landing of a Delta flight; the 19-year-old hacker from Ashkelon, who was arrested along with his father, used anonymous gateways to disguise his computer IP.
A conversation with the American Delta Air Lines reveals that the Israeli arrested on suspicion of making hundreds of bomb threats to Jewish community centers around the world, is also suspected of causing a forced emergency landing in JFK airport in New York in early 2015.
Superintendent Micky Rosenfeld, Israel Police Foreign Press Spokesman, claimed that the 19 year old is also suspected of calling in an anonymous bomb threat to Delta Air Lines about an explosive device on a flight from San Francisco to Tel Aviv in 2015. The plane had to make an emergency landing at a more remote terminal of JFK airport. After the threat turned out to be false, the flight continued as usual.
Ido Naor, a technology expert, described other ways in which the suspect may have been active: "If he uses the phone via the Internet, he can choose a point from which to call, and another operator would send the call to the end point, which is called a proxy.”
So how was the suspect captured?
"One of the methods used by law enforcement authorities is to add dummy computers to this network," Naor said, "and then when an attacker tries to call and pass through points on the network, he is rerouted to the FBI or to the security services in Israel. In the same manner, they can put up their own antenna, which would be powerful enough to capture the information transmitted from that house."
Naor also said that it is not inconceivable that the hacker gleaned information from the said network, thereby circumventing the law enforcement authorities.
A conversation with the American Delta Air Lines reveals that the Israeli arrested on suspicion of making hundreds of bomb threats to Jewish community centers around the world, is also suspected of causing a forced emergency landing in JFK airport in New York in early 2015.
Superintendent Micky Rosenfeld, Israel Police Foreign Press Spokesman, claimed that the 19 year old is also suspected of calling in an anonymous bomb threat to Delta Air Lines about an explosive device on a flight from San Francisco to Tel Aviv in 2015. The plane had to make an emergency landing at a more remote terminal of JFK airport. After the threat turned out to be false, the flight continued as usual.
Ido Naor, a technology expert, described other ways in which the suspect may have been active: "If he uses the phone via the Internet, he can choose a point from which to call, and another operator would send the call to the end point, which is called a proxy.”
So how was the suspect captured?
"One of the methods used by law enforcement authorities is to add dummy computers to this network," Naor said, "and then when an attacker tries to call and pass through points on the network, he is rerouted to the FBI or to the security services in Israel. In the same manner, they can put up their own antenna, which would be powerful enough to capture the information transmitted from that house."
Naor also said that it is not inconceivable that the hacker gleaned information from the said network, thereby circumventing the law enforcement authorities.
23 mar 2017
A 19-year-old Israeli has been arrested on suspicion of making hoax bomb threats to Jewish community centers in the US, Australia, New Zealand and Israel; his father has also been arrested in connection with the investigation.
An Israeli man was arrested Thursday morning on suspicion of making false bomb threats against Jewish community centers in the United States, Australia, New Zealand and Israel over the past three months.
The suspect, 19, from Ashkelon, was arrested by the Israel Police's International Crime Investigations Unit at the request of American authorities after suspicions arose the threats were coming from Israel. His father was also detained for questioning.
Their remands were extended until March 30.
The suspect is believed to be behind hundreds of these hoax calls. He allegedly attempted to technologically mask the origin of his threatening communications to synagogues, community buildings and public venues.
Police seized a large Wi-Fi antenna on the window of the suspect's home, five computers, multiple network cards and other various multimedia devices.
During the hearing, Judge Amit Michles noted that the evidence presented convincingly ties the suspect to a series of calls made around the world to various institutions.
Furthermore, the judge also expressed surprise at the fact that the suspect chose to remain silent during his interrogation, saying that "it is a puzzling fact for someone without a criminal record to remain silent, when according to his attorney, he did not commit the acts police are accusing him of."
It is reported that at the time of the arrest, the 19-year-old suspect attempted to grab a policewoman's pistol and tried to harm himself, but was stopped.
His lawyer requested that he be placed under supervision after raising concern for his mental wellbeing and claiming that he might try to harm himself.
According to his lawyer, the suspect has been suffering from brain tumor since the age of 14, and as a result, has been homeschooled ever since.
According to her, the illness affects his behavior, which impedes him from working and even prevented him from being conscripted into the IDF.
The suspect, who is also a US citizen, allegedly called the Israel Police's 100 call emergency call center two months ago, claiming that bombs had been planted in several educational institutions across the country.
The caller, with a woman's voice, warned,"You have a bomb in the school." No explosives were found in any of the schools in question.
The suspect also allegedly made similar reports about bombs at New Zealand schools several months ago. Similar threats were also made in Australia, several European countries, and in the United States against Jewish Community Center (JCC) buildings.
In most cases, the traces led back to Israel.
The investigation, coordinated by the FBI, required international cooperation by law enforcement and intelligence agencies.
US Attorney General Jeff Sessions said in a statement Thursday that the arrest is the result of a large investigation into hate crimes against the Jewish community. He says the Justice Department "will not tolerate the targeting of any community in the country on the basis of their religious beliefs," calling the work by the FBI and Israeli police "outstanding."
The Anti-Defamation League says there have been more than 120 bomb threats against US Jewish community centers and day schools in the US since January 9th. Those threats led to evacuations of the buildings, upset Jewish communities and raised fears of rising anti-Semitism. The threats were accompanied by acts of vandalism on several Jewish cemeteries.
An Israeli man was arrested Thursday morning on suspicion of making false bomb threats against Jewish community centers in the United States, Australia, New Zealand and Israel over the past three months.
The suspect, 19, from Ashkelon, was arrested by the Israel Police's International Crime Investigations Unit at the request of American authorities after suspicions arose the threats were coming from Israel. His father was also detained for questioning.
Their remands were extended until March 30.
The suspect is believed to be behind hundreds of these hoax calls. He allegedly attempted to technologically mask the origin of his threatening communications to synagogues, community buildings and public venues.
Police seized a large Wi-Fi antenna on the window of the suspect's home, five computers, multiple network cards and other various multimedia devices.
During the hearing, Judge Amit Michles noted that the evidence presented convincingly ties the suspect to a series of calls made around the world to various institutions.
Furthermore, the judge also expressed surprise at the fact that the suspect chose to remain silent during his interrogation, saying that "it is a puzzling fact for someone without a criminal record to remain silent, when according to his attorney, he did not commit the acts police are accusing him of."
It is reported that at the time of the arrest, the 19-year-old suspect attempted to grab a policewoman's pistol and tried to harm himself, but was stopped.
His lawyer requested that he be placed under supervision after raising concern for his mental wellbeing and claiming that he might try to harm himself.
According to his lawyer, the suspect has been suffering from brain tumor since the age of 14, and as a result, has been homeschooled ever since.
According to her, the illness affects his behavior, which impedes him from working and even prevented him from being conscripted into the IDF.
The suspect, who is also a US citizen, allegedly called the Israel Police's 100 call emergency call center two months ago, claiming that bombs had been planted in several educational institutions across the country.
The caller, with a woman's voice, warned,"You have a bomb in the school." No explosives were found in any of the schools in question.
The suspect also allegedly made similar reports about bombs at New Zealand schools several months ago. Similar threats were also made in Australia, several European countries, and in the United States against Jewish Community Center (JCC) buildings.
In most cases, the traces led back to Israel.
The investigation, coordinated by the FBI, required international cooperation by law enforcement and intelligence agencies.
US Attorney General Jeff Sessions said in a statement Thursday that the arrest is the result of a large investigation into hate crimes against the Jewish community. He says the Justice Department "will not tolerate the targeting of any community in the country on the basis of their religious beliefs," calling the work by the FBI and Israeli police "outstanding."
The Anti-Defamation League says there have been more than 120 bomb threats against US Jewish community centers and day schools in the US since January 9th. Those threats led to evacuations of the buildings, upset Jewish communities and raised fears of rising anti-Semitism. The threats were accompanied by acts of vandalism on several Jewish cemeteries.
24 feb 2017
After Avishai Ben David was arrested for his alleged involvement in the celebrity bombing case, investigators claim that he is linked to a different case from Tuesday where an explosive device was found in a residential apartment.
Police are now claiming that 31-year-old Avishai Ben David and his wife are connected to the explosive device placed in an apartment building two days ago.
The explosive device was found in an apartment in Rishon LeZion. Police also found a gun and bullets along with several other explosive devices, and claim that Ben David used the apartment, which belonged to an elderly woman currently staying in a nursing home.
It is suspected that the two arrested were hired as mercenaries by a third party.
Ben David was arrested last week along with 61-year-old Avner Harari as suspects in the celebrity-targeting bombing case. On Thursday, their remands were extended by a week.
Ben David's wife who was also arrested for involvement in the case cracked under investigation and admitted that the explosives and firearms belonged to her and her husband, who then admitted to it as well.
Judge Ido Druyan stated that the investigation is moving impressively fast, saying that in addition to the mounting evidence, new information is being revealed daily.
Harari claims that his arrest was carried out to appease populist demand. "The police are using me for rating, like a gimmick," he claimed. "My hands are clean and I have no involvement in anything. I'm on my way to an (photo) album. That's what's important," Harari joked, commenting on the amount of pictures the media took of him over the past few days.
Police are now claiming that 31-year-old Avishai Ben David and his wife are connected to the explosive device placed in an apartment building two days ago.
The explosive device was found in an apartment in Rishon LeZion. Police also found a gun and bullets along with several other explosive devices, and claim that Ben David used the apartment, which belonged to an elderly woman currently staying in a nursing home.
It is suspected that the two arrested were hired as mercenaries by a third party.
Ben David was arrested last week along with 61-year-old Avner Harari as suspects in the celebrity-targeting bombing case. On Thursday, their remands were extended by a week.
Ben David's wife who was also arrested for involvement in the case cracked under investigation and admitted that the explosives and firearms belonged to her and her husband, who then admitted to it as well.
Judge Ido Druyan stated that the investigation is moving impressively fast, saying that in addition to the mounting evidence, new information is being revealed daily.
Harari claims that his arrest was carried out to appease populist demand. "The police are using me for rating, like a gimmick," he claimed. "My hands are clean and I have no involvement in anything. I'm on my way to an (photo) album. That's what's important," Harari joked, commenting on the amount of pictures the media took of him over the past few days.
15 feb 2017
Avraham Nussbaum
After Netanya Mayor Miriam Feirberg-Ikar is arrested for corruption and bribery, police questioned for several high-profile figures for their alleged involvement in the mayor's case; Ahtrom chairman is suspected of having improper business relations with a senior city council member.
The chairman of the Israeli construction and development company Ahtrom, Avraham Nussbaum, was questioned by the police for alleged bribery as part of an investigation into his involvement in the corruption case of Netanya Mayor Miriam Feirberg-Ikar.
Suspicions arose from his investigation that Nussbaum had improper business relations with the Chairman of the Planning and Building Committee Shimon Sar.
This is the fourth high-profile figure investigated by the police for alleged involvement in the Netanya corruption case, the others being: Paz Oil Company CEO Yona Fogel, former Delek conglomerate CEO Shmulik Anchel and Bonei Hatihon Construction Company Chairman Amram Peretz.
After Netanya Mayor Miriam Feirberg-Ikar is arrested for corruption and bribery, police questioned for several high-profile figures for their alleged involvement in the mayor's case; Ahtrom chairman is suspected of having improper business relations with a senior city council member.
The chairman of the Israeli construction and development company Ahtrom, Avraham Nussbaum, was questioned by the police for alleged bribery as part of an investigation into his involvement in the corruption case of Netanya Mayor Miriam Feirberg-Ikar.
Suspicions arose from his investigation that Nussbaum had improper business relations with the Chairman of the Planning and Building Committee Shimon Sar.
This is the fourth high-profile figure investigated by the police for alleged involvement in the Netanya corruption case, the others being: Paz Oil Company CEO Yona Fogel, former Delek conglomerate CEO Shmulik Anchel and Bonei Hatihon Construction Company Chairman Amram Peretz.
|
Shimon Sar
|
Yona Fogel
|
Shmulik Anchel
|
Amram Peretz
|
Miriam Feirberg-Ikar
|
The Netanya corruption case involves suspicions surrounding that its mayor, Miriam Feirberg-Ikar, received bribes from contractors to show them leniency. In addition to this, Feirberg-Ikar's son Tsafrir was also detained for receiving hundreds of thousands of shekels in bribes.
All people investigated were revealed in bail under the following conditions: %hey are not to leave the country for the next 3 months, they are prohibited from entering City Hall for the next 15 days and they cannot contact any other person involved in the investigation.
All people investigated were revealed in bail under the following conditions: %hey are not to leave the country for the next 3 months, they are prohibited from entering City Hall for the next 15 days and they cannot contact any other person involved in the investigation.
13 feb 2017
Mayor of Safed, Ilan Shohat released to house arrest
Police arrest 14 people, including senior city officials following an undercover investigation, on suspicion of bribery, fraud, breach of trust and other offenses; arrests come as part of a reinvigorated nationwide crackdown on local-level corruption.
Police raided the offices of the Kfar Saba Municipality Monday morning, arresting 14 people, including several senior officials on suspicion of bribery and other offenses.
Police issued a statement later on that the National Unit of the Israel Police detained 14 individuals, including municipal officials and other notable figures with financial interests in the city.
The statement went on to say that the suspects are suspected of bribery, fraud, breach of trust and other offenses.
In addition to the raid on the municipality, which was conducted following an undercover investigation involving the alleged bribe, police also raided the homes and offices of suspects.
Police said the investigation is being conducted in cooperation with the State Attorney Central District.
Several of the suspects were brought to the Rishon LeZion Magistrate's Court following their arrest for a hearing on an extension of their remand.
Ilai Harsgor Hendin, who up until a year ago was Kfar Saba's deputy mayor, responded to the wave of arrests by telling Ynet, "This is nothing short of an earthquake for Kfar Saba residents, though I'm not completely surprised to hear of these things. I have recently received information on serious matters taking palce in CIty Hall. This is about more than one affair; this is about municipal wrokers forced to do things against the law, and I am very sad that Kfar Saba has come to this."
The raids and arrests Monday morning come after a series of cases of municipal corruption in which officials from the cities of Safed, Ashkelon, Ramat Gan and Netanya were arrested on a range of offenses including bribery, fraud, breach of trust and other crimes.
Police arrest 14 people, including senior city officials following an undercover investigation, on suspicion of bribery, fraud, breach of trust and other offenses; arrests come as part of a reinvigorated nationwide crackdown on local-level corruption.
Police raided the offices of the Kfar Saba Municipality Monday morning, arresting 14 people, including several senior officials on suspicion of bribery and other offenses.
Police issued a statement later on that the National Unit of the Israel Police detained 14 individuals, including municipal officials and other notable figures with financial interests in the city.
The statement went on to say that the suspects are suspected of bribery, fraud, breach of trust and other offenses.
In addition to the raid on the municipality, which was conducted following an undercover investigation involving the alleged bribe, police also raided the homes and offices of suspects.
Police said the investigation is being conducted in cooperation with the State Attorney Central District.
Several of the suspects were brought to the Rishon LeZion Magistrate's Court following their arrest for a hearing on an extension of their remand.
Ilai Harsgor Hendin, who up until a year ago was Kfar Saba's deputy mayor, responded to the wave of arrests by telling Ynet, "This is nothing short of an earthquake for Kfar Saba residents, though I'm not completely surprised to hear of these things. I have recently received information on serious matters taking palce in CIty Hall. This is about more than one affair; this is about municipal wrokers forced to do things against the law, and I am very sad that Kfar Saba has come to this."
The raids and arrests Monday morning come after a series of cases of municipal corruption in which officials from the cities of Safed, Ashkelon, Ramat Gan and Netanya were arrested on a range of offenses including bribery, fraud, breach of trust and other crimes.
12 feb 2017
The Israeli police continue to rebuff appeals to launch a probe into an attack by Israeli settlers on a Palestinian youth from Kafr Kassim town.
According to the Hebrew-speaking Walla news site, the Israeli police has not shown any intent to open an investigation into a settler attack on a Palestinian youngster from Kafr Kassim village, in 1948 Occupied Palestine.
The looked-for probe concerns an attack carried out by Israeli settlers on a Palestinian youth, mistaking him for the perpetrator of the Petah Tikva anti-occupation attack last Thursday.
18-year-old Sadeq Nasser Abu Mazen, from Nablus’s southern town of Beita, carried out anti-occupation shooting and stabbing attacks in Petah Tikva, near Tel Aviv.
At the time of the attack, seven Israeli settlers sustained various injuries and were transferred to local hospitals for treatment.
Over recent months, Palestinian protesters have carried out anti-occupation attacks, including stabbings, shootings, and car-ramming, against the Israeli occupation army in response to Israel’s simmering terrorism against Palestinian civilians and holy sites.
According to the Hebrew-speaking Walla news site, the Israeli police has not shown any intent to open an investigation into a settler attack on a Palestinian youngster from Kafr Kassim village, in 1948 Occupied Palestine.
The looked-for probe concerns an attack carried out by Israeli settlers on a Palestinian youth, mistaking him for the perpetrator of the Petah Tikva anti-occupation attack last Thursday.
18-year-old Sadeq Nasser Abu Mazen, from Nablus’s southern town of Beita, carried out anti-occupation shooting and stabbing attacks in Petah Tikva, near Tel Aviv.
At the time of the attack, seven Israeli settlers sustained various injuries and were transferred to local hospitals for treatment.
Over recent months, Palestinian protesters have carried out anti-occupation attacks, including stabbings, shootings, and car-ramming, against the Israeli occupation army in response to Israel’s simmering terrorism against Palestinian civilians and holy sites.
11 feb 2017
|
|
A Palestinian citizen of Israel was violently attacked on Thursday after screaming in Arabic at the scene of a shooting in Petah Tikva in central Israel that left six Israelis injured.
According to Israeli news outlet Ynet, Maed Amar, 35, from Kafr Qasim was attacked by a crowd of Israelis after screaming “Watch out! Take cover,” in Arabic following the sounds of gunshots. He told Ynet that people started attacking him, shouting “there’s another terrorist here!” A video was released documenting the incident. It shows Amar lying on the pavement injured while Israeli security surrounds him. According to Ynet, the passersby are shouting “Kill him,” to Israeli forces. |
Ynet added that Amar had sustained injuries on his head and leg, and was evacuated to the Beilinson Hospital following the incident where doctors reported his condition as being light.
"It was very scary. They nearly killed me. All I wanted was to warn the people in the area, to keep them safe, but instead of thanking me, that gave me a beating. After my attack, police officers arrived on scene and pushed the assailants away," Amar was quoted by Ynet as saying.
On Thursday, a 19-year-old Palestinian identified as Sadiq Nasser allegedly committed a shooting attack on a market in Petah Tikva. Six Israelis were injured, while Nasser was detained for the attack.
Israeli police spokesperson Luba al-Samri said in a statement at the time that the teen was caught and disarmed by locals before being detained by Israeli police, at which time he was unharmed with the firearm still in his hand.
On Friday morning, Israeli forces stormed the Beita and Osarin villages in the northern occupied West Bank district of Nablus and detained three Palestinians allegedly in connection with the shooting.
Israeli soldiers questioned Nasser's family members for hours at the time, locals said, adding that forces had detained Nasser’s father on Thursday shortly after the attack. It remained unclear if Nasser’s father was still in Israeli custody.
An Israeli army spokesperson told Ma’an that forces also “confiscated” the Israeli-entry permits of Nasser’s family members.
"It was very scary. They nearly killed me. All I wanted was to warn the people in the area, to keep them safe, but instead of thanking me, that gave me a beating. After my attack, police officers arrived on scene and pushed the assailants away," Amar was quoted by Ynet as saying.
On Thursday, a 19-year-old Palestinian identified as Sadiq Nasser allegedly committed a shooting attack on a market in Petah Tikva. Six Israelis were injured, while Nasser was detained for the attack.
Israeli police spokesperson Luba al-Samri said in a statement at the time that the teen was caught and disarmed by locals before being detained by Israeli police, at which time he was unharmed with the firearm still in his hand.
On Friday morning, Israeli forces stormed the Beita and Osarin villages in the northern occupied West Bank district of Nablus and detained three Palestinians allegedly in connection with the shooting.
Israeli soldiers questioned Nasser's family members for hours at the time, locals said, adding that forces had detained Nasser’s father on Thursday shortly after the attack. It remained unclear if Nasser’s father was still in Israeli custody.
An Israeli army spokesperson told Ma’an that forces also “confiscated” the Israeli-entry permits of Nasser’s family members.
