'Recommendation to indict PM expected within weeks'

Law enforcement sources estimate that following new suspicions, investigation file against Olmert to be handed over to State Prosecutor's Office soon. Investigation team expanded in order to meet timetable
Efrat Weiss

The police and State Prosecutor's Office are now handling six investigations against Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. In light of the multiple probes, the investigation team dealing with the various affairs has been expanded.

The reinforced team plans to complete its work soon and will likely file a recommendation for an indictment against Olmert.

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Sources in the law enforcement system told Ynet that the new travel affair is viewed as a surprising ramification of the Talansky affair. The same sources estimated that the investigation file would be handed over to the State Prosecutor's Office by the police within several weeks, with a recommendation to indict the prime minister in both affairs.

The State Prosecutor's Office will need some time to decide whether to charge the prime minister, but should an indictment be filed, Olmert has already promised to leave office.

Over the past week, police investigators continued collecting evidence and documents related to the new affair. At this stage, sources involved in the investigation say there will likely be no need to complete the investigation abroad and that the probe focuses on incidents which took place in Israel.

According to law enforcement sources, the prime minister is expected to be questioned once more both on he Talansky affair and on the new affair.

One of the suspicions which will be checked is how Olmert funded his children's trips abroad. According to the suspicions, these journeys were financed by money accumulated in the prime minister's account at the Rishon Tours travel agency.

Police officials have rejected claims made by Olmert's associates, that the trips were financed by the "points" he accumulated, claiming these trips were paid for with money.