Israel arrests suspects in probe over German submarine deal

JERUSALEM AFP July11, 2017   
Israeli police have arrested seven people this week over an alleged corruption scandal involving a submarine deal with Germany which reportedly involves people close to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.   

 “As part of the ongoing investigation being carried out by the national crimes and investigation unit this morning another suspect was arrested and is being questioned,” police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said on Tuesday.   

Tuesday’s arrest comes a day after six other Israelis were taken in for questioning on suspicion of offences including bribery and money laundering over a deal to buy Dolphin submarines from Germany’s ThyssenKrupp.   

Three were released to home arrest, while three others were remanded.   

Media reports have alleged a conflict of interest over the role played by David Shimron, a relative of the prime minister and the Netanyahu family lawyer who also represents ThyssenKrupp in Israel.   
In February, the justice ministry announced it had launched an investigation into the affair, stressing however that Netanyahu himself was not a suspect in the case.