Al-Hayeb. Wounded in action
Reproduction: Hagai Aharon
15 years in prison for officer convicted of espionage
Decorated Bedouin officer, who was found guilty of severe espionage, drug trafficking, sentenced to 15 years in Jail, to be dismissed from army
A special military court at the Kirya base in Tel Aviv sentenced on Sunday Lieutenant Colonel Omar al-Hayeb, convicted of severe espionage and contact with a Hizbullah agent, to 15 years in prison.
Al-Hayeb will be immediately dismissed from the IDF.
Verdict
Hanan Greenberg
Bedouin lieutenant colonel convicted of espionage, drug dealing, acquitted of treason charges
"I don't care about the decision. I was framed. The State betrayed me, I didn't betray the State," al-Hayeb said upon leaving the courtroom.
"I am strong and I'll continue to fight for my acquittal," he added.
Two months ago, al-Hayeb was found guilty of severe espionage and contact with a foreign agent, and of two other drug trafficking offenses. He was however acquitted of another drug dealing offense and of treason charges.
The judges ruled al-Hayeb's version was false and synthetic. One judge said the officer cannot be convicted of espionage, but other judges disagreed.
'I am innocent'
Following April's ruling, al-Hayeb left the courtroom furious. "I am innocent, I didn't speak to Hizbullah, and I have done nothing."
He added that "Justice was not done here. There is only one truth and I will fight for it."
"After all, several years ago I was hurt in a Hizbullah attack, so why would I go and help them now? All the claims by the prosecution that I spied are false," he said. Al-Hayeb's lawyers said they intend to appeal the conviction.
Al-Hayeb, 43, a father of four and a resident of the village of Beit Zarzir, is hailed as one of the top officers to come out of the Bedouin community.
He spent most of his service in a trackers unit stationed along the northern border, until he was seriously injured in 1996 while in pursuit of Hizbullah terrorists. Al-Hayeb lost one of his eyes in the incident and has since been limited in bodily movements. After a three-year recuperation period he returned to the army and was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
