DATE=7/16/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-235553
TITLE=ISRAEL / IRAN (L)
BYLINE=AL PESSIN
DATELINE=JERUSALEM
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:   AN ISRAELI COURT HAS SENTENCED AN ISRAELI BUSINESSMAN TO
16 YEARS IN JAIL FOR SELLING CHEMICAL WEAPONS AND RELATED 
TECHNOLOGY TO IRAN.  V-O-A'S AL PESSIN REPORTS FROM JERUSALEM ON 
THE CASE, WHICH HAS BEEN ACCOMPANIED BY CONTROVERSY AND SCANDAL.

TEXT:  THE THREE-JUDGE TEL AVIV DISTRICT COURT SENTENCED NACHUM 
MANBAR  (THURSDAY)  FOR WHAT ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN 
NETANYAHU DESCRIBED AS A "TERRIBLE" CRIME FOR WHICH MANBAR 
DESERVED TO "PAY A HEAVY PRICE."  THAT COMMENT GOT THE PRIME 
MINISTER IN SOME TROUBLE.

THE COURT CONVICTED MANBAR LAST MONTH OF AIDING AN ENEMY MAKING 
WAR ON ISRAEL AND PROVIDING INFORMATION INTENDED TO DAMAGE 
ISRAEL'S SECURITY.  THE PROSECUTION SAYS HE SOLD IRAN 
18-MILLION-DOLLARS WORTH OF MUSTARD GAS AND NERVE GAS, AND 
TECHNOLOGY FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A FACTORY TO BUILD MISSILE 
WARHEADS WHICH COULD CARRY THEM.  PROSECUTOR DVORAH CHEN CALLED 
IT THE MOST SERIOUS CRIME IN ISRAELI HISTORY, AND ASKED FOR A 
SENTENCE OF LIFE IN PRISON.  

MANBAR DENIES THE CHARGES.

IN THE END, THE COURT CHOSE 16 YEARS, SAYING IT COULD  NOT  
IGNORE THE FACT THAT WHAT MANBAR DID WAS  NOT  SO UNUSUAL AT THE 
TIME HE DID IT, IN THE EARLY 1990'S.  STILL, THEY DESCRIBE MANBAR
AS BEING "UNCONTROLLABLY GREEDY."  

PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU WELCOMED THE SENTENCE, TELLING THE 
REUTER NEWS AGENCY THAT MANBAR PROVIDED THE MATERIAL OF DEATH TO 
AN IRANIAN GOVERNMENT THAT IS COMMITTED TO ISRAEL'S DESTRUCTION.

AT THE SENTENCING HEARING, THE JUDGES CRITICIZED THE PRIME 
MINISTER AND OTHER OFFICIALS FOR MAKING EARLIER PUBLIC STATEMENTS
ABOUT THE SERIOUSNESS OF MANBAR'S CRIME AND WHAT KIND OF SENTENCE
HE DESERVED.  THE JUDGES SAID EVEN IF SUCH COMMENTS WERE  NOT  
MADE WITH THE INTENTION OF INFLUENCING THE COURT, THEY SHOULD  
NOT HAVE BEEN MADE.  THE PANEL ALSO SAID IT WAS  NOT  INFLUENCED 
BY SUCH STATEMENTS, OR BY THE SCANDAL THAT HAS RAGED AROUND THE 
CASE IN RECENT DAYS.

THIS WEEK, IN NEWS REPORTS AND PUBLIC STATEMENTS BY POLITICIANS 
AND ATTORNEYS INVOLVED IN THE CASE, THE SENIOR JUDGE AND THE 
PRIME MINISTER'S SPOKESMAN WERE BOTH ACCUSED OF HAVING A SEXUAL 
AFFAIR WITH ONE OF THE DEFENSE ATTORNEYS.  AND PRIME MINISTER 
NETANYAHU WAS ACCUSED OF TRYING TO IMPROPERLY INFLUENCE THE 
JUDGES TO IMPOSE A STIFF SENTENCE.  

ALL THE ALLEGATIONS WERE VEHEMENTLY DENIED BY ALL THE PEOPLE WHO 
WERE ACCUSED.

///  OPT  ///   IN ADDITION, THERE WERE ALLEGATIONS THAT FORMER 
PRIME MINISTERS SHIMON PERES AND THE LATE YITZHAK RABIN TRIED TO 
SUPPRESS THE MANBAR INVESTIGATION.  THOSE CHARGES WERE ALSO 
DENIED, AND THE PROSECUTOR SAID IT WAS MR. RABIN WHO ORDERED THE 
INITIAL INVESTIGATION BUT THERE WAS  NOT  ENOUGH EVIDENCE AT THE 
TIME TO BRING MANBAR TO COURT.   ///  END OPT  /// 

MANBAR'S FAMILY SAYS HE IS BEING MADE A SCAPEGOAT AND SAYS THE 
GOVERNMENT SHOULD ALSO PROSECUTE OTHER ISRAELIS WHO DID BUSINESS 
WITH IRAN IN THE EARLY 90'S.  HIS ATTORNEYS SAY THEY WILL APPEAL 
BOTH THE CONVICTION AND THE SENTENCE. 

                       ///  REST OPT  ///

THURSDAY'S SENTENCING CAME AS ISRAELI OFFICIALS ARE URGING THE 
VISITING HEAD OF RUSSIA'S FEDERAL SECURITY SERVICE TO STOP 
INVOLVEMENT BY RUSSIAN BUSINESSES IN IRAN'S MISSILE DEVELOPMENT 
PROGRAM.  (SIGNED) 

NEB/AWP/JWH

16-Jul-98 8:11 AM EDT (1211 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.