By YAAKOV LAPPINviolence against women 248.88(photo credit: Brian Blondy)
An IDF officer who is one of the bodyguards for the Chief of General Staff, Lt.-Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi, was remanded in custody by a Tel Aviv magistrate on Sunday, following his arrest on Saturday for the attempted rape of a young woman.
Police say the suspect, 30, an IDF captain who is a member of the unit responsible for protecting Ashkenazi, pounced on a 20-year-old woman in the parking lot of Tel Aviv's old port area - a nightclub and bar district - after celebrating his own bachelors' party before his wedding scheduled for Wednesday.
The couple have postponed the wedding indefinitely due to his arrest, Channel 2 reported on Sunday night.
He allegedly dragged the woman into nearby bushes, but she managed to fight him off and her screams attracted the attention of passersby, who called the police, according to suspicions.
Officers arrived at the scene and took a description of the suspect from the woman and several witnesses. A large-scale search was launched by officers with the assistance of volunteers, which ended when the suspect was located in sea water, a Tel Aviv police spokesman said.
On Sunday morning, the suspect was brought before Tel Aviv magistrate Judge Moki Landman, who concluded that sufficient evidence was available to tie him to the attack. Landman said the evidence he saw was "much more than circumstantial." The suspect was ordered to remain in custody for four more days.
The suspect's fiancee attended the court hearing, and has thrown her full backing behind him.
"I know him. It can't be him," she told reporters at the courthouse.
"We're now questioning witnesses. The investigation continues," the police spokesman added.
The Military Police was briefed on developments, but Tel Aviv Police is in charge of the investigation.
During his court appearance, the suspect's lawyer, Benny Nahari, asked police to check whether the suspect's drink had been spiked with a drug.
The police's court representative, Supt. Kobi Gatnav, accepted Nahari's request, telling the court the suspect would undergo a blood test.
Police refused to confirm a report that a lineup was scheduled for the coming days, in which the woman who was assaulted will be asked to identify the suspect.
On Sunday evening, Walla reported that a planned face-off between the suspect and his alleged victim was called off by police due to the woman's traumatized emotional state.Â
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