Harpaz's remand extended 5 days

Alleged "Galant document" forger accused of conspiracy, other crimes.

By BEN HARTMAN, YAAKOV LAPPIN
Galant 311 (photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski)
Galant 311
(photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski)
Lt.-Col. (res.) Boaz Harpaz, suspected of forging the “Galant Document,” had his remand extended by five days by the Petah Tikva Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.
Police had originally requested the remand be extended by 10 days, but negotiations with Harpaz’s defense lawyers led to an agreement on a five-day custody period.
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In addition to forging the document, Harpaz is suspected by police of attempting to illegally influence the testimony of a number of witnesses questioned in recent weeks over the affair, the police representative told the court.
A protocol of the closeddoor session was issued by the court. Judge Shiri Rafaeli ruled that despite the agreement reached between police and Harpaz’s lawyers, police must release the suspect before his five-day custody period ends if the National Serious and International Crimes Unit, which is leading the investigation, find that his continued incarceration is not necessary for the investigation.
Harpaz maintained a low profile throughout the proceeding.
Although he was present at the courthouse, he was not brought into the courtroom after an agreement was reached that the hearing would be held in his absence. It appeared as if the police’s willingness to comply with Harpaz’s request to be absent from the courtroom, and avoid the media, was linked to the agreement by his lawyers to extend his custody by five days.
Harpaz is a businessman active in the fields of defense sales and real estate. He has held a number of positions in Military Intelligence.
Harpaz has said he received a copy of the Galant Document and passed it on, but denied forging it. He told police he received the document from another individual whom he did not know, but added that police could track the person down with relative ease, Channel 2 reported on Tuesday. Police are checking the possibility that Harpaz did not act alone in allegedly forging the document.
“If I knew how to write a strategic document like that, I would change professions.
They’re looking for a scapegoat,” Harpaz told Yediot Aharonot last week.
He had been cooperating with police, answering questions in full, Yaron Kostalitz and Yechiel Weinroth, his attorneys, said.
“Mr. Harpaz was questioned on two occasions two weeks ago by Israel Police, and requested and received police permission to travel abroad. When police asked him to return to take part in additional questioning dealing with the case, he returned to the country on Monday after coordinating all aspects of his return with Israel Police,” the police representative in court said.
After the closed-door hearing ended, police, prosecutors and Harpaz’s attorneys left the courtroom without speaking to reporters.