Intel Officer's Mysterious Death Wasn't Caused by 'A Deliberate Act,' Police Say

The police team that examined the circumstances of the death of an Israeli intelligence officer who died while in a military jail in May 2021 found no indication that his death was caused by "a deliberate act," an Israeli military spokesperson said on Monday.

The team, led by the head of the police's Investigation and Intelligence Division, recommended that the Israeli military further investigate the circumstances of the officer's death, who was imprisoned after being charged with grave security offenses.

The findings of the investigation were presented to the Military Prosecutor's Office in the presence of Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, who said that they would examine them in depth. The officer's family and lawyers have been updated on the findings and are expected to meet with prosecutors.

Following the officer's death in May of last year, the Israeli military launched a criminal investigation into the incident that failed to provide concrete results. Accordingly, the chief military prosecutor set up the police team to examine the issue and provide its findings to the military. As part of the investigation, the military collected over one hundred testimonies from others imprisoned at the detention facility where the officer was being held and reviewed hundreds of hours of security camera footage from the officer's cell. The National Center for Forensic Medicine also conducted a forensic investigation that included several blood tests before concluding that the cause of the officer's death could not be determined.

The military revealed after his death that the officer, who had served in an intelligence technology unit, was held in detention after an investigation uncovered suspicions that he "knowingly took actions that severely harmed state security." According to the military, "the officer cooperated during his investigation and confessed to many of the deeds that were attributed to him."

• Israel's military intelligence struggles to keep the lid on
• Two Israeli intel soldiers accused of exposing secrets on social media
• Israeli warrior died of cancer after a secret mission. Then the war on his memory began

Acquaintances of the officer said he was a prodigy in the field of computer science in high school. At the age of 16, he participated in a project to promote young people joining high-tech companies, and went on to complete a bachelor's degree in computer science. In March 2016, he enlisted into the military and began serving in a technology unit in the Intelligence Division.

The specific charges against the deceased remain under a gag order.