'A-G to decide on Liberman indictment in 2-3 weeks'

Attorney-General Yehuda Weinstein may indict foreign minister on charges of fraud, breach of trust, money-laundering.

By YONAH JEREMY BOB
Liberman BS 311 (photo credit: Benjamin Spier)
Liberman BS 311
(photo credit: Benjamin Spier)
Attorney-General Yehuda Weinstein will decide whether to indict Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman in the next two to three weeks Channel 2 and Channel 10 reported Wednesday night.
The case, which technically is still in the pre-indictment stage, goes back years, long before Weinstein was attorney-general, and Weinstein himself has hinted several times in recent years a readiness to decide what to do with the case, only to hold off time and time again.
The potential allegations raised against Liberman have varied from bribery to money laundering to lesser offenses.
Recent news reports have speculated that the majority opinion within the state prosecution is that Liberman should be indicted, but that Weinstein has still not decided and that even within the camp favoring indictment, the debate is hot on how strong the indictment should be in light of various evidentiary problems.
The foreign minister is under investigation for charges of fraud, breach of trust, obtaining benefits through deceit, money-laundering and witness harassment.
According to an earlier draft indictment, Liberman is suspected of receiving millions of dollars from private business people through straw companies between the years 2001 and 2008, while he was a member of Knesset and a cabinet minister.
The foreign minister has already undergone three hearings, and one year ago, Weinstein said he would submit an indictment against him.
Lahav Harkov contributed to this report.