Israel FM again quizzed over corruption suspicions

AFP
AFP Global Edition

Apr 01, 2009 20:00 EDT

Israeli police on Friday questioned Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman for five hours over graft claims, the hardliner's second grilling since he took office three days earlier, a spokesman said.

"Lieberman was questioned for five hours by the police investigators over suspicion of corruption, fraud, money laundering and breach of trust," police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said.

Lieberman already had been questioned for more than seven hours on Thursday, just one day after he began work.

He will be interviewed again in the near future, Rosenfeld said.

The ultra-nationalist foreign minister has been under police investigation for 13 years and is alleged to have unlawfully received large sums of money from abroad to finance his electoral campaign.

This money was allegedly channelled through fictitious companies and various bank accounts.

Source: AFP Global Edition