No jail time for IDF officer who stole weapons
Officer stole explosive materials, bowie knife, revolver bullets during Operation Cast Lead; to be demoted to second lieutenant, do community service for month and a half
The Kastina Military Court on Thursday convicted an IDF officer who served as a commander in an elite unit for the theft of 19 military objects during Operation Cast Lead.
According to the indictment, the first-lieutenant stole explosive materials, a bowie knife, a ceramic vest, seven smoke grenades, textbooks, machine gun and revolver bullets and more. He was also charged with conduct unbecoming.
Victoria arms vessel (Photo: AP)
The court accepted a plea bargain the parties had reached and sentenced the officer to a month and a half of army community service and two months of probation. He was also demoted to second lieutenant.
The judge said he had considered the defendant's extensive operational activity behind enemy line as part of life endangering operations in his decision. Fellow officers from the defendant's unit praised him in their testimonies and noted his many achievements in Operation Cast Lead.
The officer had been up for promotion and was to undergo a company commanders' training course. He was part of the 2012 raid on the Marmara ship and the Victoria arms vessel.
The affair was uncovered during a Haifa police drug investigation. Officers had found a kit bag containing the stolen materials in the house of a friend of the officer's. The officer claimed in his defense that the kit bag was given to his friend six months earlier and that he had planned to return the equipment. He claimed that he had planned to use the equipment during training.
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