Karadi: Sela photos bad for police

Police Commissioner Moshe Karadi gave his first response Monday to photographs of captured serial rapist Benny Sela and said, “Those photographs are bad for the police.”

The photos were taken by an anonymous photographer at the Nahariya Police Station’s interrogation room and showed police officers humiliating Sela following his capture.

Commissioner Karadi spoke at a Knesset meeting Monday at which he arrived to participate in the discussion of Sela’s capture. He clarified that if the officers had followed procedure, the entire incident would never have happened.

Regarding the photographs themselves, Karadi said, “It’s impossible to determine what exactly went on by looking at still photos, but the photos don’t honor anyone and will be investigated by an officer.”

Dichter: Investigation needed

Internal Security Minister Avi Dichter also referred to the photographs and said, “Some of the things that happened in Nahariya should not have happened. The photographs must be investigated. It was clearly not the intention of police officials, the police commissioner, or my own, and I regret the photos.”

Ynet received the photographs by Red Mail Sunday. The photos depicted police officers humiliating serial rapist Benny Sela soon after his arrest on Friday, two weeks after he escaped police custody on his way to a false court hearing.

Ynet inspected the pictures for graphic manipulations and found them to be genuine.

Tirosh: Castrate beast

Science, Technology, Culture, and Sports Minister Ophir Pines-Paz (Labor) spoke during the meeting and said that the chain of events in the Sela affair were clumsy and embarrassing.

On the other hand, MK Ronit Tirosh (Kadima) turned to Dichter and asked, “Will they castrate Benny Sela? He’s a beast, not a man, he asked for it himself. I don’t understand how we’ve suddenly become so forgiving.”