Israel's Prime Minister Ehud Olmert
speaks during a news conference in Jerusalem, May 11, 2008. Top members of
Olmert's party closed ranks behind him on Sunday, praising his response to
bribery suspicions that could force him from office and disrupt peace
efforts with the Palestinians.(Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>
JERUSALEM, May 12 (Xinhua) -- Israeli police searched
the Jerusalem Municipality on Monday and confiscated documents related to the
new investigation against Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, local daily Yedioth
Ahronoth reported on its website.
Five months earlier police searched several municipal
offices, including the Jerusalem Municipality, in connection with other
investigations against Olmert, the newspaper added.
Meanwhile, businessman Morris Talansky was summoned
to the National Fraud Unit's headquarters for questioning on Monday afternoon in
relation to his suspected involvement in the bribery affair Olmert has recently
been implicated in.
Police investigators said Talansky was being
questioned under caution. At the present time, he is suspected of having raised
the funds which were subsequently transferred to Olmert through illegal
channels.
Several hours prior to the second round of
interrogation, a former senior police figure, Yaakov Borovsky, who is familiar
with the details of the corruption charges against Olmert, said the current
affair would likely result in an indictment against the prime minister.
According to Borovsky, the latest probe against
Olmert stems from other affairs on which the prime minister was investigated by
the state comptroller.
"These materials have been gathered by the State
Comptroller's Office and handed over to the police and the State Prosecutor's
Office...the police is acting with determination, professionalism and courage in
this case," he was quoted by Yedioth Ahronoth assaying.
Olmert denied Thursday that he took bribes from
Talansky during a campaign, and announced he would only resign if indicted.
Olmert made the statement in an impromptu press
conference in Jerusalem late Thursday night, shortly after the Tel Aviv
Magistrates Court's decided to revise the comprehensive gag order placed on the
police investigation against him.
The prime minister is suspected of illegally
receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars from Talansky, during tenures as
Jerusalem mayor and as minister of industry and trade in Ariel Sharon's
government.
Olmert was questioned for over an hour earlier this
month. Prior to the latest questioning, Olmert has maintained his innocence in
four police investigations against him.
The status of each case is unknown to the public, due
to police fears that revealing such information could undermine the
inquiry.
JERUSALEM, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert denied that he took bribes from an American businessman during a campaign, and announced he would only resign if indicted, local daily Ha'aretz reported on Friday. Full story
JERUSALEM, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Israeli legislators from opposition and coalition parties on Friday called for the resignation of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert suspected of illegally receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars from an American businessman. Full story
