Lieberman questioned under caution

Former foreign minister questioned by police mere hours after launching Likud-Beiteinu election campaign; police mull attaching moral turpitude clause to the charges

Eli Senyor|Published: 12.26.12 , 08:00

Yisrael Beiteinu Chairman and former Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman was questioned under caution Tuesday night, by the National Fraud Unit.

Lieberman arrived at the NFU's Lod headquarters mere hours after launching the Likud-Beiteinu election campaign with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

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Police sources said that while it is unlikely that the investigation will result in an amended indictment, the Prosecution might be able to attach moral turpitude to the charges.

According to Israeli law, should the court find Lieberman guilty of moral turpitude, he would be unable to run for public office.

Lieberman arrived at the police station at 10pm Tuesday and was questioned for roughly 45 minutes, in regards to the breach of trust charges pending against him.

According to police sources, he was very cooperative.

Lieberman's associates told Ynet that "He wasn’t confronted with any new material in the investigation. There is no basis to amend the indictment."

Also on Tuesday, police sources said they are considering holding a confrontation between Lieberman and Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon.

Ayalon was deposed in the case, pertaining to the diplomatic nomination of former Ambassador to Belarus Zeev Ben-Aryeh, on Monday.

Investigators have finished deposing all the members of the Foreign Ministry's Nominations Committee. The minutes of the meetings regarding Ben-Aryeh's nomination were also given to the police.

Aviel Magnezi contributed to this report