Jerusalem – According to sources, two Israeli brothers-in-law and co-owners of R.S.P. Rebuilt Spare Parts, Avihai Weinstein and Eli Choen, have been arrested and taken in for questioning by the Israeli Police and reps from the Defense Ministry” Investigation Unit for allegedly selling military jet parts to Iran.
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Maariv (http://bit.ly/MewQKk) reports that both Israeli Police and Defense Ministry officials would not confirm the two men are in custody, but have confirmed that they have knowledge of the investigation.
According to sources, the two were picked up after a years-long investigation involving intelligence agencies from the United States and Greece.
Sources report that American and Greek officials uncovered that the operation was performed in two stages; one in December of 2012, and the second in April of 2013.
In both cases Greek officials seized containers full of F-4 Phantom Jet parts sent by a fictitious company named Tassos Karras to a leading British citizen living in Thessaloniki who has yet to be located.
U.S. intelligence subsequently determined that the planned final destination for both shipments was Iran, which has a sizable fleet of F-4 Phantom Jet fighters.
This is not the first time Weinstein and Cohen have been investigated for running parts to Iran.
Similar investigations involved the two in 2002 and 2004, but after lengthy investigations in both cases, neither was officially charged.
Both men currently live in Kiryat Premishlan Bnei Brak where they are considered “integral parts of the community,” according to an anonymous source, who also wanted to remind people, “Don’t forget, the other times they left without any charges.”
Another anonymous source from the community said that the two “are very wealthy men who help a lot of people,” and who “have never said anything against Israel.”
Maybe its really about time for Chareidim to serve in the army…then the might understand the sensivity if the issue
It is ironic that someone named “Eli Cohen” should be charged with helping the enemy….
Mi kamocha yisroel….there will always be some yidden who somehow will find ways to make money selling stuff to our greatest enemies…in WW II, there were cases where Jewish-owned firms were selling equipment being installed by the Nazis Y’S in the death camps and ovens right up to the start of WW II .
Why does this news just make me laugh in its absurdity!
They are not against the state of Israel, but refuse to serve in the army, and yet somehow manage to get hold of military parts to sell to Israels enemy! The whole thing is ludicrous, yet compelling read and very probable. I am not going to judge if anyone is guilty or not, I’ll leave it to the judge, but you could not make these kinds of stories up! Nothing like a good deal to make a few shekel!
IF these serious charges are true, then these two should be tried for TREASON. It doesn’t make a difference how much tzedaka they give. To arm Israel’s most dangereous enemy is nothing short of INSANE, shame on them. Traitors!
“have never said anything against Israel.” Who says they are anti Israel maybe they are pro money even if it goes to Iran and if Iran will declare war on E”Y they will give a lot of the money to Kupat haeer so the decree should go away?
how about “2 men arrested”? Do they learn Chassidus? What’s the point of the group ID? You can (and should) report news in a non-inflamatory fashion.
BTW, would it have made a difference if the two were Litvashe askanim rather than chassidim? This labeling of alleged felons as “orthodox jews”, “ultra-orthodox”, “chareidim”, chassdim, etc. is getting a bit offensive. I don’t see headlines screaming “Frei Yid arrested for throwing dirty diapers at security forces outside Dizengoff Coffee House”
Why do people begrudge these two their parnassah?
Undress them in their own black nostalgia. A foolish and criminal loss of bearing and religion too. Good luck on that one huh?
I don’t know why everyone is making a big deal out of this transaction. As the saying goes “Business is business”. There are Israelis who trade under the table with various Arab countries, but keep those transaction secretive. In the past, there have been Israeli-Arab auto theft rings in EY. Also, a few years ago, an Israeli conspired with an Egyptian to withhold the supply of Lulavs and Esrogs, and hence, drive up the prices. The Arab was arrested by the Egyptians. I don’t know if the Israeli was ever arrested.
At least these two are working for a living.
Now imagine how the secular israeli government is worried that if thousands of israeli chareidim are forced into the draft what would stop them from spying for America or even arab countries. If you think a hundred thousand chareidim will sing hatikveh,I have a bridge to sell you. This is the third chareidi caught spying against israel for Iran. Foolish israeli leaders like Lapid are opening a can of worms.
The logic of some posters is so dumb it’s astounding! Blame all the Chareidm for cause 2 of them MAY have committed a crime. With this reasoning anti-Semites have a valid reason to hate ALL the Jews non-Chareidim and Secular as well because Maydoff stole, because Pollard was a spy, etc.
You all love the secular government of Israel so much- maybe you should think who commited the ultimate treason in the course of Israeli government…It is the I sraeli government itself that has built up the PLO and created this monster right before it was ready to die, by running after them in Tunis. They threw out Jews from their homes and gave land to the Arabs and they are constantly making consecions to the Arabs that compromise Israeli security.
Stop idolizing the IDF and the Isreali government. Stop bashing the Chareidim all the time just they don’t live the way of life YOU want them to!!!
The israeli government released 104 murderers of jews. So who are they to pretend they love jews let alone chareidim. Look what they did to gush katif. They are a bunch of irresponsible pork fressers.
So if these yidden wouldn’t have sold these jets to Iran then there would be no threat at all from Iran? What’s this whole bashing all the time? Who cares where iran gets there fighting material from, let at least a yid make the money. And these yidden look charadie like I am the president, for all u know they re probably devout Zionists. The title isn’t fair.