Subscribe to Print Edition | Tue., August 26, 2008 Av 25, 5768 | | Israel Time: 01:22 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Car Rental Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

U.S. seeks extradition of crime kingpin By Jonathan Lis Yitzhak Abergil, four others, sought by U.S. authorities for murder, extortion Law enforcement authorities in the United States have requested the extradition of Yitzhak Abergil, who is believed to stand at the head of one of the largest crime families in Israel. The American authorities have also asked for the extradition of four other persons who are alleged to be members of the same underworld organization. Abergil is suspected of involvement in the 2003 murder of a drug dealer in the U.S., as well as of money-laundering and extortion. Advertisement The five were indicted in the U.S. on July 23; the request for their extradition was sent to Israel last Friday. In response to the American extradition request, Abergil and the other four suspects were placed under arrest yesterday. All are suspected of involvement in a criminal organization, criminal activities, drug trade, extortion and racketeering and money laundering. Among those arrested is Meir Abergil, brother of Yitzhak. The other three are Moshe Melul, who is also suspected of murder, and Israeli Ozifa and Sasson Barashi. The alleged crimes are believed to have been committed in the U.S. and other countries, but not in Israel. During the past two years the International Crime Squad of the Israel Police has collected evidence that is expected to assist the American authorities in bolstering their case against Abergil and the other suspects. Yitzhak Abergil had already been in police custody for the past three weeks for his suspected role in the murder of Margarita Lautin on July 28 on the Bat Yam beach. Lautin was an innocent bystander who was apparently killed by a hired assassin in an underworld hit that missed its mark. Police detectives said yesterday morning that they are "redirecting" Yitzhak Abergil's arrest on suspicion of involvement in the Lautin murder with the American request for extradition. "They pulled a fast one," said Sharon Nahari, Abergil's defense attorney, in reference to the police. "Twenty minutes after they informed him that he was being released from custody because of insufficient evidence against him in the Lautin case, they informed him that he was being placed under arrest, this time because of an American extradition request." Sources in the police and the prosecution stressed yesterday that in parallel with the extradition case, the police continue to investigate the Lautin murder case. Also yesterday, sources involved in the investigation said that there is no relation between the assassination attempt in Bat Yam against leading figures in the Abergil syndicate, and the charges against him in the United States. Police did emphasize, however, that if sufficient evidence is collected linking Abergil to the Lautin murder and the attempted assassination, he will face charges and be tried in Israel, which would derailing the process of his extradition. A broad gag order is still in place on the case, preventing the release of any details on the suspected involvement of various individuals in the Lautin case. The five suspects will be brought to the Jerusalem Magistrate's Court tomorrow where the authorities will request an extention of their custody. The detailed extradition request from the U.S. will only be ready in 60 days. Only then will an Israeli court deliberate whether the five should be extradited. Police and prosecution sources said yesterday that the extradition process should be expected to go on for a year, during which time the suspects would remain in custody in Israel. In October 2004, Abergil managed to evade legal proceedings against him in the Netherlands, where he was suspected of being party to a drug-smuggling operation. Taking advantage of a legal loophole, Abergil succeeded in gaining release from custody, after which he fled the country for Israel. The involvement of U.S. law enforcement in dealing with Israel's organized crime has become quite routine in recent years. In fact, Israel's large criminal organizations have few operations inside the country, with most of their activities being carried out in the United States, South America, Europe and Asia. The fact that most of their operations are abroad makes it difficult for Israel's police to collect substantive evidence against the heads of the large organizations, and they are able to carry on with their operations uninterrupted. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Bad company Madonna draws ire for picturing John McCain near Hitler during a recent show. Raw energy An unemployed Israeli ecologist has a solution to the fuel crisis and global warming.

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