Wrong soldiers charged? (Archive)
Photo: Reuters
Palestinian says court trying wrong men
PA police officer says two soldiers accused of assaulting him are not guilty
The IDF will consider calling off the trial of two soldiers who were accused of attacking a Palestinian police officer, after he told the court that the troops on trial were not the ones who attacked him.
"He declared with full confidence and decisiveness, even after he was asked several times, that the two accused soldiers are not the ones who beat him up," said the prosecutor during a hearing. "We made sure to confirm with him whether this is a case where he doesn't recognize those who beat him, or is uncertain about their identity, but he made it clear again that it was not them."
The two soldiers, of the Nahal Haredi battalion, are demanding to be reassigned to their combat service following the retraction of the Palestinian officer's testimony.
"Had investigators performed their work well, these two fighters could have been spared this legal torture," one defense attorney said. The soldiers have been waiting for their trial to end for more than a year now.
According to the indictment filed at the Jaffa Military Court, the two assaulted a police officer at the end of October 2008. The soldiers are accused of removing him from his vehicle, punching him, and hitting him with their weapons.
The soldiers were held in military prison for two months, before being reassigned to administrative duties for the time being.
"These soldiers, who are highly appreciated by their commanders, have been suspended," attorney Hai Bar said. "One of them sews on buttons, while the second one is responsible for odd jobs around the base."
