Olmert questioned once again

A team of police investigators, led by Head of the National Fraud Unit, Shlomi Ayalon, arrived at Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's home Friday morning, for a fourth round of questioning on two recent corruption affairs.

Olmert's interrogation began at 10 am and was expected to last two hours. Following the police's request, the prime minister agreed to extend the questioning session by an additional 45 minutes. According to the prime minister's associates, it was Olmert who asked to extend the interrogation, which eventually ended at 1:20 pm. 

Olmart's aides said the prime minister answered questions regarding the recent inconsistencies discovered in travel arrangements he made over the years, and the Talansky Affair; adding that further interrogation dates may be scheduled soon. 

Sources in law enforcement said on Thursday that during this round of questioning, investigators were to confront Olmert with new evidence pertaining to both cases.

Friday's interrogation comes in the wake of Olmert's dramatic announcements, that he would not seek reelection in the upcoming Kadima primaries.

Police arriving at Olmert's home (Photo: Gil Yohanan) 

A source familiar with the inner workings of the investigation, told Ynet that the difficult interrogation session the PM faces may have played a part in his decision to effectively step down in a few months time.

Once Olmert's questioning is done, the police team is expected to leave for the Police National Headquarters, where Commander Yohanan Danino, Head of the police's Investigations and Intelligence Unit and Major-General Yoav Segalovich, head of Lahav 433 - dubbed "the Israeli FBI" - will be waiting for them.

Once the debriefing is over, Danino and Segalovich are expected to brief Attorney General Menachem Mazuz on the session's results.

The three are expected to review all the material gathered against Olmert in the case and decide whether a fifth interrogations in needed.