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Former MK Azmi Bishara (Balad) announcing his resignation from the Knesset to the media in Cairo on April 22. (AP) del.icio.us Digg It!  new Last update - 16:19 04/05/2007 Sources: Evidence on Bishara case sufficient for indictment By Yoav Stern and Jonathan Lis, Haaretz Correspondents The police and Shin Bet have sufficient evidence to indict former MK Azmi Bishara for crimes such as contact with the enemy, say sources who have seen the evidence in recent weeks. The sources say it will be very difficult for Bishara to refute the evidence, even if he appears in person to participate in police interviews. In an interview with a Lebanese daily on Thursday, Bishara rejected the accusations and called them "trumped up." Advertisement Most of the allegations involve contact with Hezbollah intelligence agencies, which the police and the Shin Bet say were responsible for collecting intelligence on Israel during the Second Lebanon War. The bulk of the evidence is based on wire taps of Bishara's telephone conversations with Hezbollah agents. These recordings were authorized by the Supreme Court. The evidence also suggests that Bishara assisted Hezbollah in broadening the impact of its attacks on Israel by helping direct its rocket barrages and offering recommendations on how to carry out psychological warfare against Israelis. Bishara is also suspected of transferring to Hezbollah military information, but the military censor has imposed a gag order on that information. In addition to the evidence suggesting that Bishara's activities were tantamount to treason, investigators are working on an angle involving financial violations. The investigators are trying to connect evidence to suspicions that Bishara violated the law forbidding the funding of terrorism. The evidence is based on the testimony of a family of Jerusalem-based money changers who say they have delivered hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash to Bishara's home in Beit Hanina. The funds have also not been declared to the tax authorities as required by law. The investigators have so far been unable to trace the money and are not sure whether Bishara kept the funds or distributed them to other organizations. The police are considering initiating an investigation in a number of countries where the funds are known to have originated or passed through. Meanwhile, in an interview with the Lebanese daily Al-Ahbar published in Beirut on Thursday, Bishara said "the aim motivating the accusations is to transform [me] from a political leader and an intellectual into an informer who passes information." Bishara also said the information in question was available to the press during the war. "They want to transform the political and cultural leadership of the internal Palestinians [those in Israel] to security operatives, to people who work for the Islamic movements or the resistance, so that no one from the east to the west will believe that there are democrats among the Arabs," Bishara said. Regarding the allegations of financial misdeeds, Bishara said "there is no evidence. They did not present any evidence ... and if the money were contributions to Balad [his party] or the national movements or its institutions, we would have transferred it [to them], but not in this manner." Not wishing to be left out of the fracas surrounding Bishara, Hezbollah on Thursday announced it was willing to grant the former MK political asylum. "If Bishara decides to seek refuge with us, we will tell him 'welcome,'" said Ahmad Mali, a member of the group's political bureau, to the daily Al-Arab. Bookmark to del.icio.us The IDF's dilemna To what extent should the IDF subdue its West Bank and Gaza actions in coming days? Not one inch Hamas says they will reject any deals made by Abbas in Annapolis.   1.   There is no doubt, Bishara has used his status as a Member of 05:16  |  Ehud 04/05/07   2.   from Lybia to Iran arabs have where to go 05:47  |  Joseph E . 04/05/07   3.   Enough evidence didn`t overweight corrupted political considerati 06:50  |  Joseph E . 04/05/07   4.   When Will Syria Grant Political Asylum? 07:12  |  J of Hollywood 04/05/07   5.   How does one "trump up" recordings of Bishara being a traitor? 07:38  |  Gili 04/05/07   6.   Bishara is nothing but an opportunist who has been using Israel`s 08:25  |  Rita 04/05/07   7.   ih he was in any other middleastern country,his head would be 09:56  |  terrornator 04/05/07   8.   BISHARA IS AN ILLEGAL WEST BANK SETTLER 10:52  |  Yishai Kohen 04/05/07   9.   Bishara as unofficial guide for Hesbollah 11:17  |  Esther 04/05/07   10.   Smart cookie, Bishara 12:37  |  Realistic 04/05/07   11.   In contact with Hezbollah during war? 13:14  |  Lynn 04/05/07   12.   Bishara and other traitors to Israel 13:44  |  Hilda 04/05/07   13.   How kind of Hezbollah! 14:07  |  Nik Miller 04/05/07   14.   From politician to spy 14:09  |  Briton 04/05/07   15.   Israeli identity crisis 14:34  |  G 04/05/07   16.   You can`t help but love our cousins 15:31  |  natan 04/05/07   17.   How gullible are the Israelis ! 15:59  |  nathan 04/05/07   18.   Opportunist 16:06  |  ARTH 04/05/07   19.   Re #8 16:23  |  Joe 04/05/07   20.   Hez political asylum to Bishara 16:26  |  Sherman 04/05/07   21.   #12, Hilda. Sweet desire to have enemy does miracles! 16:52  |  zmogus 04/05/07   22.   Bishara should have been in prison years ago 16:52  |  Shalom Freedman 04/05/07   23.   Probably as gullible as you, Nathan! 16:58  |  JES 04/05/07   24.   If he is really innocent, he should come back 17:07  |  Rami 04/05/07   25.   Put up or shut up 17:09  |  Tosefta 04/05/07   26.   evidence on Bishara 17:10  |  sandu 04/05/07   27.   #11, Lynn. Don`t you find the other thing strange? 17:15  |  zmogus 04/05/07   28.   #8, Yishai Kohen. Before putting Bishara in your cup of tea 17:19  |  zmogus 04/05/07   29.   Yishai Kohen is right, Bishara is an Israeli settler in West Bank 17:21  |  Jake 04/05/07   30.   Nathan, give me a break, you are being gullible 17:29  |  Jake 04/05/07   31.   Joe #19, of course Bishara does not believe in Greater Israel 17:36  |  Jake 04/05/07   32.   Death penalty for terrorists and traitors 17:44  |  Tosufti 04/05/07   33.   In a normal countrie,enemy is prosecuted, or 17:44  |  TOMY 04/05/07   34.   Stupidity? 17:59  |  Observer 04/05/07   35.   #21 ZMOGUS - BESHARA OPENLY FOMENTED REBELLION 18:05  |  * BEN JABO 04/05/07   36.   #25 Tosefta; can you provide proof of your claims? 18:40  |  Mufasa 04/05/07   37.   Proper quote (Mufasa #36) 19:12  |  Tosefta 04/05/07   38.   Tosefta - we have evidence against YOU 19:19  |  Shin Bet 04/05/07   39.   Question 20:13  |  Ari 04/05/07   40.   Haaretz - Journalistic Lack Of Integrity Again 20:17  |  chet 04/05/07   41.   #38 Shin Bet or Shin Gimel? 21:09  |  Tosefta 04/05/07   42.   Israel lucky 21:10  |  Chick Corea 04/05/07   43.   #31-2 ZMOGUS - Treason & Inusrrection 23:03  |  * BEN JABO 04/05/07   44.   #41 Tosefa 23:04  |  * BEN JABO 04/05/07   45.   #40 Chet - aren`t you aware 23:07  |  * BEN JABO 04/05/07   46.   Chet the Vigilante 23:26  |  Fed Up 04/05/07   47.   evidence 00:55  |  ricki bobbi 05/05/07   48.   #47 ricki bobbi - see my #35 this thread 03:10  |  * BEN JABO 05/05/07   49.   Dear Chet 10:11  |  JES 05/05/07   50.   Ricki Bobbi 10:14  |  JES 05/05/07   51.   Have Haaretz`s editors ever heard of the word "allege?" 10:45  |  Richard Silverstein 05/05/07   52.   #43, BEN JABO. Thanks for incorrect but instructive example 14:12  |  zmogus 05/05/07   53.   #52 ZMOGUS 17:27  |  * BEN JABO 05/05/07   54.   JAIL THE TRAITOR HE IS A DISGRACE TO DECENT ARABS 10:25  |  B.Heddem 27/11/07

Today Online Bradley Burston: People who hate the very idea of peace Responses: 7 Yoel Marcus: Bush, the groupie of Israel Responses: 1 Avi Issacharoff: PA has learned to lower expectations Responses: 11 Bush to call for peace on the basis of two nation states Responses: 29 Jewish, Christian leaders to U.S.: No compromise on J'lem Responses: 92 Rosner's Domain You were expecting a weekend in Riyadh? The Rosner Annapolis reader Rosner's Guest: Good reasons for Israel to explore Syria negotiations Bush doctrine, the end? (WTR) More Headlines 10:47 Bush to call for peace on basis of two nation states 09:06 IDF troops kill 2 Hamas gunmen, one civilian in Gaza shootings 10:42 Iran: We've developed new missile with range of 2,000 km 10:33 Jewish, Christian leaders to U.S.: No compromise on Jerusalem 10:35 PM: Arabs should open consular offices in Israel following summit 08:41 Saudi FM: U.S. to offer specific Mideast proposals at summit 23:24 Major N.Y. Islamic center honors Orthodox rabbi at annual event 08:19 ANALYSIS: To have successful talks, PA delegates lower hopes 03:26 Simon Wiesenthal Center launches new Nazi hunt in South America Previous Editions Select Day 26 nov 25 nov 23 nov 22 nov 21 nov 20 nov 19 nov 18 nov 16 nov 15 nov 14 nov 13 nov

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