Last update - 00:00 10/01/2007
Tel Aviv Magistrate's Court extends remand of ITA corruption suspect
By Roni Singer-Haruti, Haaretz Correspondent
The Tel Aviv Magistrate's Court on Wednesday extended by two days the remand of Yoram Karashi - one of the central suspects being investigated in connection with the Israel Tax Authority (ITA) corruption case.
After the end of his remand, Karashi will serve 15 days of house arrest and will be prevented from entering the ITA offices for 30 days.
Karashi, 44, is the brother of fellow suspect Prime Minister's Office Director Shula Zaken, and a Jerusalem businessman with a plant that makes Judaica. He's also a member of the Likud branch in Jerusalem and a city council member. Karashi is considered to be close to Tzachi Hanegbi, and for years served as one of his key "vote contractors." He has other contacts at the national political level.
A second suspect in the affair, accountant Kobi Ben-Gur, was placed under 30-day house arrest, and will be prevented from entering ITA offices for 30 days.
Ben-Gur, also a Likud central committee member, was a party candidate in the last Knesset elections.
A series of other ITA senior officials arrived at the offices of the National Fraud Investigation Unit on Wednesday to give their testimony. Among them were Ze'ev Yochelman, an ITA vice president, Ze'ev Porat and attorney Ya'akob Berger, a senior civil service official.
Chairman of the ITA tender committee, Yehuda Nassradishin, was investigated under caution over the appointement of Yigal Sa'ar, ITA's U.S. representative, who was arrested several days ago.
Shlomo Ben-Amara, a Prime Minister's Office employee, also gave testimony, apparently regarding Shula Zaken's involvment in the affair.