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Last update - 02:09 09/09/2008
VIDEO / Police: Indict Olmert's former business partner too
By Jonathan Lis, Haaretz Correspondent and Haaretz Service
Tags: Olmert, corruption, Israel

Hours after police urged the attorney general to indict Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, it emerged that they have also recommended prosecutors to press charges against Uri Messer, the premier's former business partner.

Police believe Messer should be tried for bribery, fraud and money laundering in connection with one of two corruption cases over which they Sunday urged Attorney General Menachem Mazuz to indict Olmert.

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he case involving Messer is the Talansky affair, in which Olmert is suspected of having illegally received money from Jewish American businessman Morris Talansky over the course of 15 years.

The other case in question is the Rishon tours double billing affair, involving allegations that Olmert funded trips abroad for himself and his family with money obtained fraudulently from public organizations.

The police are expected to reach a decision regarding a third case, the Investment Center affair, in the near future. The affair revolves around allegations that Olmert granted personal favors to his old law partner, Uri Messer, who was acting on behalf of a company, an act which would constitute a conflict of interest, breach of trust, and fraud.

After reviewing the evidence for five hours starting at 9 A.M. Sunday morning, the police submitted its recommendation to Mazuz and to the State Prosecutor Moshe Lador. Mazuz will ultimately decide whether Olmert will in fact stand trial.

According to the recommendation, enough evidence has been gathered in the Talansky affair to charge the prime minister with bribery, the most severe charge he faces, fraud and breach of trust as well as money laundering violations. In the Rishon tours affair, the police recommended charging Olmert with fraud and breach of trust.

In adherence with the police recommendation, tax violations uncovered during the investigation of the affairs would be prosecuted separately.

Olmert's lawyers issued a response just as the police statement was issued. It said the police recommendation has no impact, because the attorney general makes the final decision, noting that a Supreme Court justice spoke out against the practice of police passing a recommendation along with the results of their investigations.

"We will wait patiently for the decision of the attorney general," the statement said. "Unlike the police, he is aware of the heavy responsibility he holds."

The final decision on whether to indict Olmert will be made in approximately two weeks time, in which case the indictment will be formulated before the end of the month, following a hearing.

The head of Israel Police's Investigations and Intelligence Division, Maj. Gen. Yohanan Danino, and senior officers examined the evidence collected on the Morris Talansky, the double-billing (Rishon Tours) and the Investment Center affairs.

Olmert's media advisor, Amir Dan, said Saturday: "The police have no choice but to recommend an indictment, since they have to justify the fact that they brought down a prime minister in office."

Following a meeting last Thursday at the Lod headquarters of the police crime-fighting umbrella unit, Lahav 433, a recommendation to indict in the double-billing affair seemed to be in the offing.

With regard to the Talansky affair, a source said that "its various links do not completely correlate." The source was referring to the fact that investigators were not always able to connect Talansky's testimony with the exact bank withdrawals, and Talansky and those present during the alleged hand-overs of cash "describe the events differently."

The source said the Investment Center investigation was also considered "complex" in terms of the evidence.

Nevertheless, a senior police official said recently that there was a good chance that both the Talansky and the Investment Center investigations would result in a recommendation to indict.

Police and the State Prosecutor reportedly prefer to formulate the indictments together because attorney Uri Messer is allegedly involved in all of them. In addition, police were to decide on the indictment of others involved in the various affairs, including Shula Zaken - Olmert's former bureau chief - Messer and Talansky. Sources close to the case say that since Messer and Talansky are also central witnesses, the State Prosecutor's Office is wary of losing their cooperation by indicting them.

Later Sunday, the police recommended that Zaken also be indicted for aiding an act of bribery.

Related articles:
  • Kadima sources: Olmert undermining successor to stay in power for longer
  • Police likely to recommend indictments against Olmert
  • Mazuz: Israel's government may soon be declared 'transitional'
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      1.   More stalling 18:55  |  Rabbi Yakov Lazaros 07/09/08
      2.   Amir Dan is wrong, Its time to indict Olmert once and for all 19:45  |  Dish It Out 07/09/08
      3.   Police have recommended Olmert 20:16  |  Chris Linthwaite 07/09/08
      4.   I wonder how many "envelopes" Olmert .... 20:32  |  Nemesis 07/09/08
      5.   for Chris Luftwaffe 20:40  |  nobody 07/09/08
      6.   at last the truth is falling on the shoulders of mazuz 20:48  |  yahn goodey 07/09/08
      7.   THE NEXT SOUND YOU`LL HEAR IS KNEES POPPING AS HE STEPS DOWN ... 20:50  |  jewish doctor 07/09/08
      8.   Watch olmert break yet another promise 20:53  |  Arie 07/09/08
      9.   Whatever happened to rape charge 21:07  |  Ma? Zuz? 07/09/08
      10.   To nobody, respect Chris Lithwaite 21:17  |  Israeli citizen 07/09/08
      11.   We`ve heard it all.......the latest. ... 21:18  |  Dagma 07/09/08
      12.   fight on, Olmert, you are our hope! 22:05  |  Leon Rosgarten 07/09/08
      13.   EHUD OLMERT NOT IN BIBLE CODE 22:13  |  Barry S Roffman 07/09/08
      14.   Fiddling his expenses - such style 22:14  |  Clickfool 07/09/08
      15.   leave olmert alone...damn you? 22:17  |  issam ghallab 07/09/08
      16.   Olmert and Chris Linthwaite 22:23  |  Edifice 07/09/08
      17.   Indict 22:28  |  Ralph 07/09/08
      18.   leon smells the roses and comes up with ol merde 23:02  |  vhardman 07/09/08
      19.   Olmert Said Will Resign If Mazuz Indict Him , 23:37  |  Joseph.E 07/09/08
      20.   Indictment on corruption charges 23:59  |  Brod 07/09/08
      21.   Hanging out the dirty washing for all to see. 00:37  |  Stephen 08/09/08
      22.   Olmert Go Home 00:41  |  Zev 08/09/08
      23.   How long will Mazuz stall 00:42  |  Beni 08/09/08
      24.   Barry Roffman in Fl 01:02  |  Arie 08/09/08
      25.   you probabely need to do the following, Please read 04:22  |  Simon Mohammed 08/09/08
      26.   #24 - ARKCODE.COM SPECULATION? 04:47  |  Barry S. Roffman 08/09/08
      27.   Olmert don`t give away Tel Aviv B4 you go. Evac house in Jerusale 05:24  |  Judgement Day 08/09/08
      28.   Kick this corrupt jerk out once and for all now ! 06:59  |  Fortuna Benmayor 08/09/08
      29.   Lock Olmert Up Before He Destroys Israel 07:12  |  Baruch Gold 08/09/08
      30.   Mazuz 07:23  |  Rozz 08/09/08
      31.   EXCELLENT NEWS;THE POLICE HAVE DONE THEIR JOB WELL.MAZUZ MUST ACT 08:24  |  MAZUZ-ZUH 08/09/08
      32.   HOW did Olmert becme Prime Minister...... 09:10  |  Dagma 08/09/08
      33.   Mazuz, act fast to restore Israel`s credit 09:18  |  Nora 08/09/08
      34.   Can MAZUZ sit by and watch Olmert destroy Israe 09:31  |  Pathfinder 08/09/08
      35.   People of Israel Rise up! 09:40  |  The Truthful one 08/09/08
      36.   Only the Israels themselves can dispose 09:54  |  John 08/09/08
      37.   Israel run by criminals? 10:13  |  Dav 08/09/08
      38.   Clickfool # 14. 10:30  |  David Nigel Braham 08/09/08
      39.   POLICE OR ATTORNEY GENERAL? 10:35  |  Indrajaya 08/09/08
      40.   Olmert the narcissist will continue to hang on 10:40  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 08/09/08
      41.   #12, Leon Rosgarten 10:45  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 08/09/08
      42.   G-D`S WORD IS TRUE - WE REAP WHAT WE SOW ?? 12:09  |  Bill 08/09/08
      43.   ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!! 13:28  |  James 08/09/08
      44.   Please leave Olmert alone! 14:22  |  Nick Potzayid 08/09/08
      45.   INDRAJAYA .Preaching on dealing with corruption from Indonesia. 15:24  |  PETER SM 08/09/08
      46.   DAV Your brothers run by the devil? 15:25  |  PETER SM 08/09/08
      47.   Kadima 16:17  |  Rozz 08/09/08
      48.   Cipora Julianna Kohn # 40 How Can He Hang On? 16:20  |  Jeff Northridge 08/09/08
      49.   #39 Indrayaja Poster child for Iran. 18:10  |  Big Sur 08/09/08
      50.   #42 bILL SOME OF THE PROPHECIES ARE COMING TRUE... 18:13  |  Big Sur 08/09/08
      51.   #44 Nick Putz a Yid???? 18:15  |  Big sur 08/09/08
      52.   # 45, BIG SUR 18:42  |  indrajaya 08/09/08
      53.   Olmert`s enduring legacy... 18:58  |  bat yam 08/09/08
      54.   #48 No Indy Like the detention of a person who was sentenced to 19:22  |  Big Sur 08/09/08
      55.   It is unfair and without justification 19:35  |  Dolly 08/09/08
      56.   Who`s King of the Hill 21:20  |  Jim 08/09/08
      57.   To bat yam # 53 - Thank you for enumerating 22:20  |  Dagma 08/09/08
      58.   Hello Dolly !!! The Israeli system of government is a DISGRACE. 01:12  |  Sarah 09/09/08
      59.   indrajaya, your war mongering is worthless to 07:14  |  John 09/09/08
      60.   No Indictments will help Police Recomendations 08:37  |  Dagma 09/09/08
      61.   # 59, JOHN 09:33  |  indrajaya 09/09/08
      62.   When are the police going after the real criminals? 19:50  |  Dutch 09/09/08
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