Last update - 00:00 04/01/2007
Military prison commander, First Sgt. Maj. suspended over misconduct
By Amos Harel, Haaretz Correspondent
The commander of military prison number six, a military detention base in northern Israel, and a unit first sergeant major were suspended on Thursday following a surprise inspection of the prison base.
After fielding numerous complaints from soldiers, head of the Israel Defense Forces human resources department, Major General Elazar Stern, launched a surprise inspection which focused on the treatment of individuals at the base.
The inspection revealed severe failures in the management of the base as well as failures in the way in which senior officers treated their subordinates. The commander of the base and the first sergeant major were discovered to act offensively and inappropriately towards their subordinates, as well as instilling disproportionate fear among all the unit's soldiers.
The two men accused of misconduct were summoned for questioning by the head of the military police, Brigadier General Ron Benny, who decided to suspend them for two weeks. In addition, Benny ordered an inquiry into the conduct of the military prison base.
Military sources said in response to the findings that the behavior revealed in this incident has no room in the IDF and should be condemned.