Lador apologizes for delay in responding on Lieberman probe

'Post' learns state attorney expresses regret for delay in formulating position over 10-year-long investigation.

By DAN IZENBERG
Lieberman makes point 224 88 aj (photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimksi [file])
Lieberman makes point 224 88 aj
(photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimksi [file])
State Attorney Moshe Lador apologized to State Comptroller Micha Lindenstrauss on Sunday for having taken so long to reply to his inquiry as to why the state was still investigating MK Avigdor Lieberman (Israel Beiteinu) 10 years after the probe began. The State Attorney's Office did not reveal the contents of Lador's letter to Lindenstraus but told The Jerusalem Post he had "expressed regret for the delay in formulating and presenting its position on the fact that the investigation was still going on." Lador added that the State Attorney's Office was investigating why it had taken so long to prepare its response and would take steps to prevent the recurrence of such a situation. On August 5, Lindenstrauss sent a sharply worded letter to Lador, reprimanding the State Attorney for taking so long and in so doing, preventing him from examining a complaint by Lieberman, since in the meantime, Lieberman had petitioned the High Court of Justice. According to Lindenstrauss, Lieberman complained about the 10-year probe to the Ombudsman on September 16, 2007. On the same day, Lindenstrauss said he asked the State Attorney's Office and the police to reply to the complaint. Law enforcement officials replied to Lindenstrauss's request at the end of October. However, the responses were general and did not address the specific complaints levied by Lieberman. Lindenstrauss asked for more details but the State Attorney's Office replied that a petition was pending in the High Court and therefore the ombudsman (the state comptroller acting in a separate capacity to provide protection), according to the law, was prohibited from investigating the matter. After the High Court ruled on the petition, Lindenstrauss wrote again. Lador replied that officials of the two offices and the police should meet to discuss the matter. The meeting was held on March 19, 2008. The participants decided that the police and the State Attorney's Office would prepare an answer to the questions raised at the meeting. Despite constant reminders from the ombudsman, no answer was forthcoming. On July 27, Lieberman filed a petition in the High Court demanding that the state either indict him or close the investigation. From that day on, Lindenstrauss could not longer investigate the matter. In summing up the events of the 10 months between the time Lieberman filed his complaint and the time the Ombudsman had to drop his investigation, Lindenstrauss wrote that he "took a grave view of the harsh and unacceptable outcome caused by the lack of proper cooperation between the law enforcement authorities and their procrastination of many months while ignoring the legal demands of the ombudsman."