Subscribe to Print Edition | Wed., March 12, 2008 Adar2 6, 5768 | | Israel Time: 13:58 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Advertising Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

Jerusalem District Police Chief Aharon Franco. (Ouria Tadmor / Jini) Last update - 08:44 12/03/2008 Police officers slam Jerusalem chief's ignorance about yeshiva attack By Jonathan Lis, Haaretz Correspondent Tags: terror attack  Police officers on Tuesday criticized the results of the initial investigation into last week's terror attack at Mercaz Harav Yeshiva in Jerusalem, in which eight students were killed, as presented by Jerusalem District Police chief Aharon Franco to senior commanders on Monday. Franco spent only a few minutes going over the incident, and according to senior officers, he was unable to answer many of the questions he was asked about it. Franco emphasized in the meeting that the district's investigation is ongoing and will only be completed in another few days. Advertisement An officer who attended Monday's meeting said Tuesday that that the incident report raised questions about its timeline, from the terrorist's entry into the yeshiva until his death. In addition, Franco was unable to end another mystery: Where did David Shapira, the Israel Defense Forces officer who killed the terrorist, obtain the police detective's cap he wore inside the yeshiva? Police officers had been saying that Shapira got the hat from the first police officer to reach the scene, who decided not to confront the terrorist. But in Monday's meeting it became clear that Shapira had been wearing a special detective's cap, not a regular uniformed-officer's hat. Franco was unable to explain whether Shapira got the hat from the patrol officer or perhaps from a second officer, a detective who was at the scene but who, like the patrol officer, also declined to confront the terrorist. The behavior of the patrol officer, who waited at the yeshiva entrance while the terrorist continued to shoot at the students, was criticized by the officers at the meeting. "Franco said the officer explained that he preferred to 'freeze the situation,' in police lingo, to prevent civilians from entering," one officer said. "But the officer's approach was simply wrong and unprofessional. If civilians are being shot inside the yeshiva, an officer can't stand outside and not go in. It is unacceptable for a police officer to behave in that manner during a terror attack," he said. A statement issued by the Jerusalem District Police on Tuesday said that no comment on the remarks would be forthcoming. "Franco briefed senior commanders about what was known up to that time about the incident. The investigation of the attack is still ongoing and its conclusions will be presented only after it is completed." Related articles: 8 die in terror attack on J'lem yeshiva Abbas slams Jerusalem attack; Israel: Peace talks will go on Jerusalem yeshiva student: I shot the terrorist twice in the head ANALYSIS: Perpetrators view J'lem attack as unusual success Mercaz Harav - the flagship of national-religious yeshivas Bookmark to del.icio.us   Bring down the house Knesset speaker calls for wrecking of yeshiva killer's family home. Frum and fabulous Beauty salons offer Haredi women a unique brand of modest glamour.   1.   Perhaps due to the officers political party? 01:53  |  Binyamin Dissen 12/03/08   2.   #69 01:58  |  Sarah 12/03/08   3.   Number 1:You are wrong!!! 04:30  |  Ddi 12/03/08   4.   police officer, idf, and personal threat... 05:35  |  eric 12/03/08   5.   Perhaps.... 06:03  |  Thomas 12/03/08   6.   Police officer slam 06:21  |  Jack Meoff 12/03/08   7.   There is something fishy about the whole affaire 07:45  |  Kris Lazar 12/03/08   8.   Police officers should be named and tried 08:02  |  Sam 12/03/08   9.   Police officers should be named and tried 08:02  |  Sam 12/03/08   10.   But he knows how to do his job when it comes to Gay parades in Je 08:28  |  Tom 12/03/08   11.   Eric you`re wrong 09:28  |  howiej 12/03/08   12.   Yeshivah`s own security? 09:45  |  Joe 12/03/08   13.   Police never protect Palestinians from settlers.. 10:06  |  Chanalau, Tova 12/03/08   14.   Eric, Shapira`s a hero, but so are MOST IDF soldiers 11:37  |  Michelle 12/03/08   15.   # 10 because we need protecitng 12:38  |  SJ 12/03/08   16.   The wrong "mystery" 13:52  |  Gabriel 12/03/08

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