Reserve officer retracts confession in Galant affair

Boaz Harpaz, prime suspect in forgery of Galant document, refuses to take polygraph test. Attorney says he confessed after giving in to pressure during questioning

Eli Senyor|Published: 08.29.10 , 13:49

The remand of Boaz Harpaz, the prime suspect in the forgery of the Galant document, has been extended by three days after his attorneys reached an agreement with the police Sunday. Harpaz, who has provided investigators with various stories on the origin of the document, has refused to take a lie detector test, Ynet learned.

Attorney Yechiel Weinroth said in hearing at the Petah Tikva Magistrate's Court that Harpaz has retracted his confession. Weinroth said that his client had linked himself to the forgery after giving in to pressure during questioning. Police believe that Harpaz, who continuously changes his stories, is protecting others who helped him forge the document.

A senior police officer described Harpaz and an extremely complex interrogee. "He is doing everything in order to hide the truth, he employs strange tactics but the police's recommendation is based on additional evidence linking the suspect to the forgery," he said. Israel Police Spokesman Rafi Yaffe refused to comment on the case.

Harpaz on his way to questioning (Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg)

Police are still trying to find additional suspects who helped forge the document and are currently in a deadlock. As a reward for cooperating during questioning, officers made an exeption and allowed Harpaz to receive two visits on Friday.

One of his visitors was his lawyer Yechiel Weinroth whom he was not allowed to see thus far. The other visitor was his wife, Meirav.

According to police evidence, others were involved in the forgery of the Galant document, including IDF officers. So far, Harpaz has failed to name names, despite being offered to turn state's evidence.