'Yonatan Shapira's' IDF case found in trash can

Man finds confidential IDF file inside bag with additional military equipment bearing name 'Yonatan Shapira' in Ramat Gan trash can. Extreme left-wing activist Shapira denies involvement

Yair Altman|Published: 07.12.11 , 12:37

A Tel Aviv resident is claiming to have found a bag containing a confidential Air Force case belonging to former airman Yonatan Shapira in a Ramat Gan garbage can. Shapira is denying any involvement in the case. The file was handed over to police earlier this week.

The 37-year-old man says that he found the bag on Sunday and discovered that it contained a pilot's helmet, a walkie-talkie, a notebook with "Secret" written across it, and additional military paraphernalia. In addition, the bag contained information about military personnel, communication frequencies and maps.

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"I was helping a friend with house refurbishments…one of the times I went down to throw out some trash I found a bag with "Yonatan Shapira" written on it and inside the pilot's helmet with the name "Yonatan S" on it…

"I connected the name to Shapira who is a known figure who has recently been in the headlines. I was thinking of what to do and decided to appeal to Knesset Member Michael Ben-Ari." The two then decided to hand the bag over to Ramat Gan police. "As a reserve soldier this shocks me," he added.

The military find (Photo: Ofer Amram)

Shapira, one of the signatories of the 2003 refusnik pilots' letter is a known radical left-wing activist who speaks out against IDF operations in the settlements. He recently took part in the Gaza flotilla just ten months after being arrested with four other Israelis at sea when he participated in the "Jewish flotilla".

Shapira became notorious when he sprayed the words "Release Gaza and Palestine" on the walls of the Warsaw ghetto. He documented the act and brought it to the attention of the media.

According to MK Ben-Ari "this can only happen when someone is blatantly contemptuous of Israel's security, the values he was raised on, confidentiality and maintaining IDF property."

The Tel Aviv District police confirmed that they received the equipment and handed it over to the IDF. The IDF Spokesperson's Unit said: "This is IDF equipment which is intended for military use and any use of the equipment for civilian purposes is forbidden….The issue is being examined by the defense forces."

Meanwhile, Shapira himself, who is currently staying in the US, denied claims he was involved in the case. Speaking to Ynet he said: "I haven't been in the army for over eight years and I think the objects discovered have nothing to do with me. I have no idea how they came to be where they were found, the whole story seems bizarre."