Not a 'trick' and not testimony: Lahav 433 clarifies why the Haredi deserter was questioned
Lahav 433 rejects reports that the young man was lured to the location for the purpose of transferring him to the Military Police. According to them, he was summoned as a suspect in a fraud investigation concerning the illegal issuance of driver's licenses. His status as a deserter was discovered only after he appeared for questioning.
Contrary to reports that a Haredi deserter was arrested after arriving to provide testimony at the Lahav 433 offices, the unit clarifies today (Wednesday) that the man was summoned in advance for questioning under caution as a criminal suspect, and that no 'trick' was used to bring about his arrest by the Military Police.
The incident sparked outrage among radical Haredim, who are planning to demonstrate today following the arrest and block major traffic arteries on Highway 4. Members of the 'Ha-Ratzpanikim', students of Rabbi Zvi Friedman who are identified with the Jerusalem Faction, claimed that the man arrived at Lahav 433 to provide testimony and was arrested on the spot. The emerging protest hubs are the Geha Interchange and the Coca-Cola Interchange area, during the afternoon hours.
However, the unit rejects the claim. According to Lahav 433, the Haredi man was summoned for questioning under caution as part of an investigation being conducted by the National Fraud Investigation Unit, on suspicion of involvement in mediation in a method for obtaining driver's licenses fraudulently.
According to the suspicion, as part of the method, money was paid to parties who ensured that another person would take the practical driving test instead of the license applicant. In this way, according to the suspicion, it was possible to ensure that the license applicant would receive a driver's license illegally, without having passed the practical test himself.
When he was summoned for questioning, it emerged in the system that the suspect is also defined as a deserter from the IDF. Following this, and in accordance with procedure, a report was transferred to the Military Police. They decided to send military police officers to the Lahav 433 offices, who took him with them.
