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Last update - 14:10 05/05/2008 Sources: PM probe clear-cut; decision on indictment in days By Jonathan Lis and Tomer Zarchin, Haaretz Correspondents Tags: Menachem Mazuz, Israel  Sources involved in the police investigation of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, the details of which cannot be made public due to a gag order, said Sunday it would be clear within a few days whether or not Olmert would be indicted on unspecified charges. "Within days, it will be possible to determine whether it will be possible to file an indictment in the case against the prime minister," one of the sources said. "This is a quick investigation, relatively simple, and so far a large and significant amount of material has been gathered." Olmert was questioned Friday by police investigators in a case that sources described as "very serious." The court has slapped a gag order on the case, preventing the publication of any of the allegations against the prime minister, who is facing the fifth police investigation over the past two years. Advertisement Olmert told the cabinet Sunday he would not let the police probe, which he said has sparked malicious rumors, prevent him from doing his job. "When the facts become clear, they will lay the rumors to rest," he said in his first public comments on an affair that has threatened to further weaken him politically. "In the meantime, I have an agenda as the prime minister of Israel," he said. "I intend to continue with this agenda and continue my job." The police's national fraud unit questioned witnesses in the case Sunday, along with other suspects, such as Olmert's former bureau chief Shula Zaken, who was questioned for the third time in the past week. Zaken, who was questioned for about an hour Sunday, has so far refused to cooperate with police. She had been placed under house arrest Tuesday, and on Sunday the house arrest was extended until Friday. The investigators in the Tax Authority case recently said they had enough evidence to indict Zaken, and the prosecution is expected to decide shortly whether to charge her. Zaken was suspended from her post as bureau chief a year ago, due to allegations she was involved in making improper appointments in the Israel Tax Authority. She recently began working with Olmert again, but not as bureau chief. Olmert has been questioned regarding the Tax Authority allegations against Zaken. Meanwhile, the police and prosecution implied Sunday they planned to divulge some details of the case shortly. Attorney General Menachem Mazuz, State Prosecutor Moshe Lador and the head of the police investigations unit, Yohanan Danino, released a statement Sunday night saying they were aware of the public interest in revealing details of the case and would make an effort to get out additional information without hampering the investigation. "Indeed, a situation in which a sitting prime minister is questioned under caution, without information being imparted to the public regarding the substance of the suspicions, not even in general terms, generates difficulty from the public and legal constitutional perspectives," the statement said. "It is understood that in light of the clear sensitivity and in light of the legal and public ramifications of the investigation, a special effort is being made by all those involved in the matter to hasten treatment of the matter as much as possible." In the meantime, the gag order remains in place, though the Tel Aviv Magistrate's Court is due to hear a request from Haaretz on Monday to limit or lift the gag order. Police and Justice Ministry officials said Sunday the gag order was essential if the investigation were to move forward. "The good of the investigation comes before the public's right to know, and I know what I'm talking about," police chief David Cohen said Sunday, in his first public comment on the matter. Related articles: Editorial / Use the full rigor of the law, now Uzi Benziman / Leave Olmert alone for now Akiva Eldar / It's time for Livni Olmert used PMO to further wife's art career Bookmark to del.icio.us   Under probe Olmert stays focused on work despite new allegations. Taxi Hamas Hamas police cars serve as taxis in fuel-starved Gaza.   1.   REMOVE OLMERT FOR THE CHILDREN OF SDEROT AND ISRAEL`S SECURITY))) 03:22  |  VOICE of MOSHIACH))) 05/05/08   2.   Netanyahu, Lieberman, Eitam? 04:26  |  Rowan 05/05/08   3.   REMOVE OLMERT FOR THE CHILDREN OF SDEROT AND ISRAEL`S SECURITY))) 04:55  |  VOICE of MOSHIACH))) 05/05/08   4.   Olmert Please Retire 05:05  |  Steve 05/05/08   5.   Story re-edited since comment posted 05:43  |  Rowan 05/05/08   6.   Scandalous 06:23  |  Yossi 05/05/08   7.   pathetic laughing stock of Israel`s history 09:26  |  Dror 05/05/08   8.   A Dishonourable and Unpardonable Prime Minister 09:32  |  Dolly 05/05/08   9.   Let OLMERT be Indicted,,,, YES! 09:53  |  The Threadmill 05/05/08   10.   DANGEROUS to leave Olmert in Power now.... 10:19  |  Onlooker 05/05/08   11.   Whoops, my bad 10:47  |  Rowan 05/05/08   12.   IT WAS BEFORE THE SURGERY-HE COULDNT SEE 11:25  |  Kahanov Daf Yomi 05/05/08   13.   WHY NOW? to terrorise Olmert ...... 11:44  |  Dagma 05/05/08   14.   WHY NOW? to terrorise Olmert ...... 11:44  |  Dagma 05/05/08   15.   WHY NOW? to terrorise Olmert ...... 11:56  |  Dagma 05/05/08   16.   "Better a Corrupt Man Than an Ideologue" 13:31  |  Ovadiah ben Avraham 05/05/08   17.   All of Us Are Stupid Politicians 14:03  |  Jay A Friedman 05/05/08   18.   Jay A Friedman, trust me on this one 15:05  |  Dror 05/05/08   19.   Observation on 60 years since Israeli rebirth 15:13  |  Haham me Bat Yam 05/05/08   20.   Video clip of IDF Major Ehud Olmert 1985 15:33  |  Yotam 05/05/08   21.   Nothing but an Arab/American Conspiracy..... 15:36  |  Dolly 05/05/08   22.   Dror, Unfortunately, I no longer trust anyone 16:51  |  Jay A Friedman 05/05/08   23.   Ehud Olmert should resign NOW if he even cares about Israel. 17:58  |  Kipperraes 05/05/08   24.   just face it !!! 18:49  |  amihai 05/05/08   25.   To # 23 Kipperraes - Olmert should resign. 18:52  |  The Serious One 05/05/08

Read & React Akiva Eldar: It's time for Tzipi Livni as PM, rather than Netanyahu Responses: 51 Maoz: Ultra-Orthodox make Judaism repulsive to Jews Responses: 85 Peres: I'm not in favor of a military strike on Iran Responses: 59 Documents reveal U.K. tried to ship Holocaust survivors back to Germany Responses: 131 Rosner's Domain The Democrats are fighting over Iran How people die in Gaza? (WTR) Poll: If Olmert is gone, who should be PM? Carter is helping Hamas achieve their strategic goal Helping McCain win over Jewish voters (WTR) More Headlines 18:08 Peres: I'm not in favor of a military strike on Iran 18:25 Olmert acknowledges need for 'tangible' changes in West Bank 18:29 Police storm Warsaw hotel room, free three captive Jewish teens 17:06 Minister Majadele: Israel losing control over Arab sector's youth 18:31 U.S.: Hezbollah training Iraqi Shi'ite extremists in Iran 17:55 Court convicts two members of Petah Tikvah neo-Nazi cell 13:18 Two people hurt as 7 rockets slam into western Negev 11:20 16 Israeli civilians killed this year in terror acts, 1,634 since May, '48 15:35 Poll: Most Germans say country has no special ties with Israel 17:52 Militants: Gaza headmaster killed in IAF strike was Jihad rocket-maker 18:43 Iran rejects tough atomic inspections, citing 'double standard' 14:10 Sources: PM probe clear-cut; decision on indictment in days Previous Editions Select Day 04 may 02 may 01 may 30 apr 29 apr 28 apr 27 apr 25 apr 24 apr 23 apr 22 apr 21 apr

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