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Major General (res.) Doron Almog (Motti Kimche / Archives) Last update - 10:18 20/02/2008 BBC: IDF general dodged U.K. arrest due to police fear of clash By The Associated Press Tags: israel, war crimes  British police feared an armed confrontation if they tried to arrest an Israel Defense Forces general accused of war crimes, the British Broadcasting Corp. reported Tuesday. Retired Gen. Doron Almog avoided arrest in 2005 by staying on his plane at London's Heathrow airport after a tip-off that police there were waiting to detain him. The El Al plane took Almog back to Israel, and the arrest warrant was eventually dropped for procedural reasons. Advertisement Police feared an armed confrontation with air marshals or Almog's security detail if they stormed the aircraft, the BBC said, citing documents prepared for the Independent Police Complaints Commission, a police watchdog. The commission, which concluded its investigation into the incident last year, declined to comment on the documents, saying only that there was nothing improper about the police's decision not to board the plane. El Al referred all questions to the Shin Bet security service, which is responsible for security on its planes. The Shin Bet did not immediately reply to an e-mail seeking comment. London police also declined comment. The war crimes allegations stemmed from Almog's role as commander of the IDF in Gaza in 2002, when the IDF demolished 59 houses in Rafah refugee camp, according to the Palestinian Center for Human Rights. Israel said at the time that buildings it razed were empty and being used by militants as hideouts from which to fire on IDF troops. But the rights group alleges the destruction was a war crime as it was not justified by military necessity and was carried out unlawfully. The group filed a complaint in Britain against Almog under a law that gives Britain the power to charge foreigners with war crimes, even if Britain or its citizens were not involved. A warrant for Almog's arrest was issued Sept. 10, 2005 by the magistrates' court in central London, the human rights center said. Senior foreign officials, including heads of state, are typically protected from arrest or prosecution. Almog, who was visiting Britain to raise money for an Israeli center for developmentally disabled children, did not benefit from the usual immunity. In December, Public Security Minister Avi Dichter turned down an invitation to visit Britain out of concern that he could be arrested for his role in the 2002 assassination of a senior Hamas militant in Gaza, spokesman Mati Gill said. Related articles: Report: IDF general dodged U.K. arrest as police feared shootout Dichter cancels U.K. trip over fears of 'war crimes' arrest Sources: Blair 'shocked' by Dichter fears of arrest in U.K. IDF general escapes arrest by London police's anti-terrorist unit Bookmark to del.icio.us   Land of milk and honey Israeli model Bar Refaeli poses for Sports Illustrated's swimsuit edition. Finding fault Shas MK blames gays for recent earthquakes in the region.   1.   Better luck next time 02:16  |  Chanalau, Tova 20/02/08   2.   story for idiots 02:32  |  Rasputin 20/02/08   3.   Arrest Suha 02:43  |  George Kaplan 20/02/08   4.   Almog escape 03:09  |  Iamashamed 20/02/08   5.   I believe... 03:20  |  Maureen Ann 20/02/08   6.   British behave like nazis 03:31  |  Dwido 20/02/08   7.   Suha - to No 3 03:36  |  Dwido 20/02/08   8.   Arafat mingled with the high and mighty 03:53  |  Avrum 20/02/08   9.   UK police did not arrest IDF general 03:54  |  lattu 20/02/08   10.   #3 george, its israelis war criminals, not suha 04:09  |  raw truth 20/02/08   11.   Oh well 04:48  |  Hannah 20/02/08   12.   #5 What does that have to do with anything? 05:07  |  NYC Jew 20/02/08   13.   Fearing shootout? 05:11  |  Johm Mac 20/02/08   14.   Israel`s Generals 05:11  |  Israel`s Soldier 20/02/08   15.   Rasputin 05:14  |  Ras Airi 20/02/08   16.   George Kaplan 05:17  |  Georgina 20/02/08   17.   Dwido 05:22  |  Janet Hooker 20/02/08   18.   How Funny, The Brits Did Not Dare Have A shoot Out With 05:40  |  Phinias Whoppy 20/02/08   19.   He sounds like a CRAZY TERRORIST 05:42  |  * BEN JABO 20/02/08   20.   with Palestinian blood on their hands Chanalau Tova? 05:50  |  Avi 20/02/08   21.   raw fish like raw truth 05:55  |  Avi 20/02/08   22.   #6 i was replying to #3 about suha 06:06  |  raw truth 20/02/08   23.   A low-level court 06:26  |  DJStahl 20/02/08   24.   #4 Almog escape 06:50  |  geoff 20/02/08   25.   i apologize to #6, was forwarded to #12 06:53  |  raw truth 20/02/08   26.   raw truth-hogwash. All Israelis have pension 07:21  |  Phinias Whoppy 20/02/08   27.   too bad the british gov keeps slipping tips 07:36  |  eric 20/02/08   28.   Smart move on the part of Scotland Yard 07:41  |  Mary Ellen 20/02/08   29.   PALS With money &connections NOT British govt instigated this 08:12  |  PETER SM 20/02/08   30.   THEY WERE AFRAID ISRAEL WOULD HAVE BOMBED THEM LIKE IN WW2 08:17  |  Yaacov Lometsky 20/02/08   31.   If Arafat was defending his country,that would be EGYPT! 08:21  |  Boris Stivkovkavitch 20/02/08   32.   AND THE BBC AND THE REST 08:30  |  Prince 20/02/08   33.   yet a few weeks ago BLAIR called these rumors rubish 08:35  |  MG 20/02/08   34.   @Mary Ellen 08:36  |  Adam Cohen 20/02/08   35.   AND THE BBC AND THE REST 08:37  |  Prince 20/02/08   36.   #27, eric 08:44  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 20/02/08   37.   Churchill should be post humously guilty w/ this law!!!!!! 08:57  |  Ben Uziel 20/02/08   38.   SO WHATS NEW 09:04  |  MJ 20/02/08   39.   The question is.... 09:16  |  Esther 20/02/08   40.   What a heartwarming story - thanks, Haaretz 09:49  |  Clickfool 20/02/08   41.   shootout 09:55  |  JL 20/02/08   42.   This is not news....It`s history 10:12  |  manny.b 20/02/08   43.   BBC report. 10:18  |  David Nigel Braham 20/02/08   44.   F..k the UK! 11:27  |  S 20/02/08   45.   #5 Maureen Anne 12:26  |  Zelkha 20/02/08   46.   Adan Cohen # 34 13:28  |  ChanahS 20/02/08   47.   Major General Doron Almog - I wonder 14:15  |  ChanahS 20/02/08   48.   IDF General 14:41  |  dannymuttley 20/02/08   49.   dannymuttley & pro Israel UK 16:06  |  The Judge 20/02/08   50.   To Iamashamed 16:09  |  The Judge 20/02/08   51.   What about the Royalty? 16:36  |  B. 20/02/08   52.   response to 40 16:38  |  B. 20/02/08   53.   Clickfool_It Certainly Is Heartwarming. Brit Police Shy 16:48  |  Eli 20/02/08   54.   To those bad-mouthing the UK 18:08  |  Machiavelli Spinoza 20/02/08   55.   How fair is this law? 19:49  |  William 20/02/08   56.   i have nothing agains the british 19:54  |  B. 20/02/08   57.   Raw truth #22 - difference between the article and Suha 20:01  |  William 20/02/08   58.   Chicken shitz 22:34  |  joshrandall 20/02/08   59.   Israeli Lefties forewarned Brits of the visit and Jewish Brit Lef 23:31  |  Absolute Sweden 20/02/08   60.   Mach-Spinoza" Britain has not been trashed by towel-heads"?!!!! 23:42  |  Absolute Sweden 20/02/08   61.   # 36 the incident i mention, cipora 08:04  |  eric 21/02/08

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