Bullets
Photo: Shaul Golan
Israeli tourist to remain in Indian custody
Indian court extends remand of Israeli female tourist arrested for carrying bullets by five days
The remand of Israeli tourist Noa Haviv who was arrested on Thursday in Mumbai after security officials found a magazine loaded with 16 gun bullets in her backpack has been extended on Friday by five days.
The Foreign Ministry said Haviv will be brought before a judge for an additional hearing within five days. Haviv is locked up in a cell at the main police station in Bombay.
The five-day remand extension could be a sign of the court's lenience towards Haviv, as the judge refused to extend her remand by a maximum 14 days.
Haviv traveled to India with her brother's backpack, but apparently didn't thoroughly check it and so didn't notice the magazine left in the bag from her brother's last reserve duty. "She was very surprised when the magazine showed up in a check performed on her bag in Mumbai," said Sivan.
After her arrest, Israeli diplomats pressed India authorities to release her.
The Israeli Consul to Mumbai (Bombay), India, Daniel Sivan, told Ynet, "Noa feels well, is aware of what is going on, and is overall fine relative to the situation that has been created."
"We want to be cautious, but we met with the commander of the police station, who is responsible for the actual investigation and saw that they understood that this was a case of human error," said Sivan. "I hope that this will be expressed Friday in court and that she will be released on bail."
Noa's mother, Hagit, told Ynet that Noa called her soon after her arrest. "She called us in the morning and said she was arrested because of a magazine that was in her bag. She sounded very worried; it is not a simple situation. The facts are right – her brother returned from reserve duty a few days ago and apparently left the magazine in the bag. She took the bag and traveled to India and was immediately arrested at the airport. It is simply bad luck," the mother said.
"That was her first visit to India … she planned to stay till after the holidays. She traveled alone but was meant to join a friend of hers who waited there for her. We are shocked. I am anxious, but I am sure she will deal with the situation."
