People close to Sa'adat blame British gov't for breaking deal to protect him.
By DAN IZENBERG, JPOST STAFFPA police jericho 298.88(photo credit: AP)
Attorneys for Ahmed Sa'adat, the PFLP terrorist who masterminded the assassination of former Israeli minister Rehavam Ze'evi, captured by security forces in Tuesday's raid on a Jericho prison, are considering suing the British foreign office.
The British paper, The Independent, reported that people close to Sa'adat blame the British government for breaking an agreement to protect Sa'adat while he was being held in the Jericho prison.
Senior state law officials have concluded that the suspects in the Ze'evi assassination can be tried in Israel and that "double jeopardy " does not apply in their case, the Justice Ministry announced on Thursday.
The conclusion was the outcome of a meeting held Thursday by State Attorney Eran Shendar on what to do with the six Palestinians, five of whom are allegedly responsible for the 2001 assassination.
The six are currently being interrogated by the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency).
The question, which must be decided by Attorney-General Menahem Mazuz, is whether they can be tried by an Israeli court.
According to the Justice Ministry announcement, "the conclusion of all those dealing with the matter, on the basis of the agreements that Israel has signed, the circumstances of this specific case and in accordance with a legal opinion dealing with the question, is that 'double jeopardy ' regarding those involved in the assassination of Ze'evi does not apply. Therefore, Israel has the right to try them in Israel. This right applies to both the civilian and military court systems."
The participants said that as in the case of Mustafa Barghouti, who was seized from the West Bank and put on trial in Tel Aviv District Court on charges including murder, Israel has an interest in trying the alleged killers in a civilian court.
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