Guard suspected of smuggling phones to prisoners
Senior warden at Ketziot Prison arrested following internal investigation that bolstered suspicions that he smuggled cell phones to security prisoners in exchange for payment. Israel Prison Service: This is an unusual incident
A senior guard working in Israel Prison Service was arrested on suspicions of smuggling cell phones to security prisoners. The guard, 38-year-old Munir Halabi of the village of Yarka, served as chief warden of one of the prison wings at Ketziot Prison in southern Israel, where security prisoners are imprisoned for relatively short periods.
A police representative asked Friday during a hearing in Petah Tikva Magistrate's Court that the officer's remand be extended by 10 days. However, the court ruled that he would remain in detention for five days.
Investigation of the corrections officer was initiated following suspicions that were aroused within the IPS. The investigation involved the unit for warden investigations, which collected evidence against the officer and ultimately arrested him. The motive for his alleged acts seems to have been monetary payment.
The warden is suspected of accepting a bribe, fraud, breach of trust, and conspiring to commit a crime.
A police representative said during the suspect's remand hearing, "This is a rare case in its severity and audacity." According to him, the investigation did not focus only on the suspect who was arrested, and therefore, an extended detention is necessary.
Judge Michal Amit ruled in her decision to extend the remand of the officer that "there is sufficient suspicion that the offenses attributed to the suspect were carried out."
Phones used for terrorism
The IPS wages a daily war against smuggling cell phones into its prisons, particularly to security prisoners. The main objective is to prevent prisoners from making contact with the outside world via the phones, which serve their terrorist activities and are even used to initiate and direct terror attacks.In a number of past incidents, lawyers were caught smuggling cell phones to security prisoners. One of the lawyers was even caught smuggling a phone in his anus. However, never has such a senior official within the IPS been suspected of such charges.
The IPS condemned on Friday the officer's alleged actions.
"The wardens work hard daily to prevent cell phone smuggling to security prisoners, all in order to maintain the security of the State," said an IPS official. "To see one of our own carrying out such an act – this is very difficult to accept. But he is a weed among the rest of the wardens fighting against this phenomenon."
