Last update - 00:00 13/12/2006
Officers to stand trial for alleged misconduct in Sela capture
Police Chief Moshe Karadi on Wednesday repelled public criticism of the police over its handling of the capture of rapist Benny Sela.
"It's not some other police force, these are the same police officers who risked their lives for the notheren residents [of Israel] during the 33 days of war, and the same police who for six years have been under a barrage of Qassam rockets in Sderot," Karadi said.
Earlier on Wednesday, Karadi and the Police Investigations Department decided that the officers involved in capturing escape rapist Benny Sela in Nahariya last week would face disciplinary hearings for alleged misconduct during the capture.
The decision came after Karadi met Wednesday with Northern District Police Commander Dan Ronen, following media reports accusing Nahariya police of humiliating Sela.
Karadi said the decision to try the officers for unlawful use of force and inappropriate behavior for a police officer arose from the conclusion that these officers acted against the values of the police force.
If more evidence is found, or should Sela file a complaint, the officers could face criminal charges.
The police called published pictures of Nahariya officers humiliating and ridiculing Sela during his capture an embarrassment for the entire police department.
Karadi was enraged in recent days by media reports accusing Nahariya police of misconduct during the capture. Karadi called criticism of police behavior media hypocrisy, after the press initiated the photo session and convinced officers it was important to publish photos of Sela in police custody to calm the public.
Sources in the Nahariya police dismissed claims of violence, and said they offered food and water to Sela and gave him a towel following his request.
Sela: I did not assault women during my escape
Sela says he did not assault women during his escape, even though he could have done so. He maintains that he was closely following police search activity through the media. Sela spoke to a source in the Rimonim prison which was later aired on Channel 10.
Sela described his days of escape, and said "it was a war of survival. There wasn't any food, no place to sleep; I had to pull strings to get along on the street. I saw police officers looking for me, and I followed the media closely. I watched television the first few days through a window of a woman in Tel Aviv, which I could have broken into and attack. I had opportunities to attack, if I had wanted to. I could have raped, but already in prison I came to terms with myself and I am sorry for what I did."
Karadi says it is too early to determine whether or not Sela assaulted victims during his escape, since Sela is not cooperating with the investigation, and no complaints have been filed yet since his capture.