Head of criminal organization suspected of threatening rabbis in Netivot

Police arrested tonight (Motzaei Shabbos), the head of the crime organization, Shalom Domrani, who allegedly tried to interfere in local elections and blackmailed with threats Rabbi Yaakov Ifergan, 'the X-ray'.

Policemen of the Lahav433 unit, which is handling an investigation in cooperation with the Southern District Attorney's Office, arrested along with him six other suspects identified with the criminal organization. They will be taken for remand at noon tomorrow in Rishon Lezion Magistrate's Court.

It is suspected that Domrani's people extorted by threats rabbis in Netivot, and threatened voters and supporters of the candidate Eyal Messica who ran against elected mayor Yehiel Zohar.

Eyal Messica was supported by the Rav of the haredi community in Netivot, Hagaon Rabbi Danon Danin, who called to support Mesika who was the only candidate who is Shomer Shabbos. The Rav was joined by the Baba Baruch and Rabbi Yaakov Israel Ifergan known as 'the X-ray'. The rabbis were also joined by Hagaon Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky, Hgr"s Auerbach, the Rosh Yeshiva of Kise Rachamim - Hagaon Rabbi Moshe Mazuz, and others.

Domrani's associates supported Yechiel Zohar and influenced people to vote for him. According to the report, they also tried to harm institutions and persons associated with local rabbis who supported Messica. Among other things, they cut off electricity and water of the institutions of the X-ray and harmed people from his Kollel.

On the night of victory, Domarani's people celebrated with the elected mayor.

Netivot Mayor Yehiel Zohar said: "I am surprised by the arrests. The town of Netivot is a protected city. I understand this is a case related to the business owners in town, but those business owners know to respond accordingly."

This evening the arrest was announced by Interior Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovich in the program "Meet the Press" on Channel 2 when he announced: "In the last few minutes the head of a large criminal organization who made trouble, was arrested."

Earlier he said that: "The police will treat criminal organizations as terrorists and terrorist organizations, will define them as so and act against them with all the tools, including administrative detentions and preventative arrests."

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!