The Israeli police are using media leaks to coach businessman Morris Talansky in the probe against Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, an Olmert aide charged Wednesday. Amir Dan, Olmert’s legal advisor, accused the police of manipulating the investigation by leaking confidential material to the media with the aim of coaching Talansky, the investigation’s key witness.
The American millionaire Talansky admitted in a previous deposition to handing Olmert large sums of cash in envelopes, which he claims were intended for Olmert’s electoral campaigns.
Dan said that "the publication of investigation material over the past two days is not coincidental. The police are briefing a witness and coordinating versions ahead of Talansky's testimony next week at the Jerusalem District Court." Talansky's lawyer in Israel rejected the charges, saying he could not understand in what way the media reports aid Talansky.
The police are barred from questioning Talansky until the cross examination, set for next week. "The briefing of witnesses through the media by the police must be stopped. They are disrupting investigation procedures," said Dan. “The police's method will undoubtedly be probed in the future."
Police sources released information Wednesday on the progress of the investigation, including details of a probe currently underway in the U.S., where police say they have found more evidence supporting Talansky’s testimony. Although the Prime Minister claims that all the money he received from Talansky was used for his election campaign, police say they are accumulating evidence that shows Olmert spending the money for personal uses.
Police sources also told the media Wednesday that a new witness, Sharon Tzur, has been summoned to give a deposition in the case. According to Talansky, Tzur was present at Olmert’s hotel when the businessman gave Olmert one of the envelopes stuffed with cash. Tzur, however, has reportedly said that she does not remember the meeting.
Commenting on Dan's charges, a police spokesperson said, "We regret this conduct, which is obviously a ploy meant to distract attention from the main issue at hand. The investigation team, headed by Brigadier-General Shlomi Ayalon, is performing its duty in a professional manner, away from the limelight, in an attempt to get to the truth."