Minister Haim Katz to be questioned under caution in IAI corruption probe
Police gather testimonies from IAI employees who say they had to support Katz, who served as chairman of the workers' committee, in return for improving their status in the company.
Thus far, the police have investigated a number of workers in the industry and arrested several of them, among them Katz's son, Yair and his close associate Eli Cohen. The investigators suspect that in return for the benefits received by senior executives, a company from the north has facilitated and performed work for IAI, contrary to procedures and with a clear advantage over other companies.
According to the investigators, the company has received rolling orders: each time the payment for an order ran out, another order would be issued for it. One of the suspects is the member of the Likud Central Committee and a member of the Histadrut party.
The police are reportedly looking to find incriminating evidence on Minister Katz. According to the testimonies gathered, it appears that Katz's investigation will focus on the functions of workers in the Likud party during the period when he was chairman of the committee.
According to the testimonies, IAI employees were forced to support the chairman and his faction in return for advancing and improving their status in the company.
Sources close to Minister Katz expressed anger at what they described as "a well orchestrated campaign of slander in the media in an attempt to harm Minister Katz's name and his many years of public service. The minister is not afraid and will deal with the investigation, if and when he is summoned."
(Translated and edited by N. Elias)
