Friedmann appoints c'tee to examine Ramon wiretapping affair

The move was expected after the justice minister told the Knesset Law Committee last week that he had "no choice."

By DAN IZENBERG
ramon hand on head 224 8 (photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski)
ramon hand on head 224 8
(photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski)
Justice Minister Daniel Friedmann on Wednesday appointed a government committee to examine foul-ups during the police wiretapping of conversations linked to the investigation of Deputy Premier Haim Ramon. The move was expected after the justice minister told the Knesset Law Committee last week that he had "no choice" but to do so after retired Judge Vardi Zeiler, who looked into the affair at his request, recommended that he do so. During the investigation into the allegations that led to Ramon's indictment and conviction on charges of committing an indecent act, the police wiretapped the telephone conversations of Shula Zaken, head of the Prime Minister's Bureau, the woman soldier whom Ramon kissed, and her commanding officer. They said they suspected Zaken of tampering with witnesses on Ramon's behalf. The police failed to hand over the transcripts of some of the conversations that pertained to the investigation to Ramon's lawyer, Dan Scheinemann, along with the rest of the evidence gathered by police. Ramon found out about the missing transcripts during the trial. Although the court convicted Ramon anyway, it sharply criticized the prosecution for the oversight and accused it of gross negligence. The state promised to investigate the matter. Attorney-General Menahem Mazuz appointed retired judge Shalom Brenner to assess what had happened. Brenner, who had no staff or power to subpoena witnesses, concluded that the law enforcement authorities had been guilty of severe negligence but not malice. Ramon was reportedly unsatisfied with the findings. Friedmann and Public Security Minister Avi Dichter then asked Zeiler to review the Brenner study and report back to them. On February 25, Zeiler handed in a report saying the matter ought to be investigated by a body that had defined powers to conduct an effective and in-depth investigation. He added that the judge should not have approved the wiretapping of Zaken and the other two women in the first place on the basis of the material presented by the police.