“You can’t arrest someone just because of his reputation. There are clear rules, including the existence of evidence, progress in the investigation and a clear reason for the arrest.”
Shalom Domrani
Alleged Mobsters In Rabbi Extortion Scheme Ordered Released To House Arrest
Shmarya Rosenberg • FailedMessiah.com
Despite the strenuous objections of police, after 10 days of detention alleged organized crime boss Shalom Domrani and several other suspects held in the extortion of a prominent Netivot haredi rabbi were ordered released from jail to house arrest, Ha’aretz reported.
Domrani allegedly conspired with haredi Rabbi Yoram Abergel to extort the X-Ray Rabbi, Rabbi Ya’akov Ifergan, in an attempt to throw last month’s municipal elections. The alleged mob boss and Abegel also allegedly discussed murdering Ifergan or his senior aide.
But Magistrate Judge Menahem Mizrahi released the men to house arrest that will last for at least the next two weeks.
Abergel was released to house arrest Sunday after spending a week in jail.
“You can’t arrest someone just because of his reputation. There are clear rules, including the existence of evidence, progress in the investigation and a clear reason for the arrest,” Mizrahi reportedly wrote regarding the police request to continue to hold Domrani and his men.
Domrani, his men and Abergel were arrested shortly after a wave of alleged organized crime car bombings that culminated in the bombing of a senior prosecutor’s car.
Several other alleged mobsters were also arrested at about the same time as Abergel, Domrani and his men.
However, at the time critics of the arrests reportedly warned that many were premature. Almost all of those arrested have now been released to house arrest.
Police reportedly intend to appeal the ruling to release Domrani and his men as they successfully did when Abergel was supposed to be released last Wednesday. They also insist that a judge’s decision to release an accused criminal to house arrest says nothing about the final outcome of the investigation into his alleged crimes.