From: Berhane Habtemariam (Berhane.Habtemariam@gmx.de)
Date: Fri Jan 22 2010 - 07:06:27 EST
2 charged with demanding ransom for refugees
Eritrean citizens living in Jerusalem indicted for conspiring with Sinai
gang to kidnap African refugees, demand ransom from their relatives living
in Israel
Efrat Weiss
Jan 21st, 2010
Did Israelis assist the refugee kidnapping ring?
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5Y5-vks_qs&feature=player_embedded
An indictment was filed with the Jerusalem Magistrate's Court on Thursday
against two Eritrean citizens aged 34 and 41, currently living in the city
and suspected of extorting money from the relatives of refugees trying to
cross the border into Israel, while holding them hostage in camps in Sinai.
The investigation has been ongoing for a number of months, and the gag order
was lifted with the filing of the indictment, which carries charges of
extortion.
According to the indictment which was filed againt Nagasi Habati and Fatawi
bin Eziabahir, in some cases, refugees were kidnapped and taken to closed
camps located near the Israel-Egypt border, where they were held against
their will by members of the Rashaida clan and held at gunpoint for fear
they may attempt to flee.
The refugees were held under poor conditions at the camp, with their hands
and legs bound. They were also starved, beaten with various objects, giving
electric shocks, and more.
Upon their arrival at the camp, the kidnappers would question the refugees
about their relatives in Israel, in order to demand ransom for their
release. The captors would demands thousands of dollars for the release of a
single refugee, and would threaten their lives in order to pressure the
relatives in Israel into paying.
The two defendants conspired with the Sinai kidnappers and were the main
link in the network that was used to extort ransom for refugees and help
African citizens illegally infiltrate Israel.
$2,800, or kidneys
One of the cases outlined in the indictment is that of an Eritrean woman who
left her homeland for Israel at the start of 2009 and was kidnapped in Sudan
and held against her will with three other refugees with her arms and legs
bound. Her kidnappers demanded she contact her family in Eritrea to have
them pay ransom for her release.
When the captors learned that her family could not pay the ransom, they sold
her off and she was transferred to the camp along with other refugees.
She arrived at the camp pregnant in December 2009, and was kept bound
against her will. Her kidnappers threatened that if they did not receive
$2,800 ransom, they would sell her kidneys.
This is where the two defendants living in Israel come in - one of them
tried to locate her family in Israel, in order to demand $2,000 ransom for
her. The woman's cousin in Israel was found, and asked to pay $2,150 in
ransom.
The cousin was told by the kidnappers, "The girl is in a difficult state,
she is being beaten, raped and threatened. He was also told that her life
was in danger if failed to pay the ransom.
The relative ended up paying the defendant the $2,150, with another Eritrean
living in Israel taking $150 to help the woman infiltrate into Israel.
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Charged with extortion Photo: Gil Yohanan
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Refugees held in camps near border Photo: Reuters
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Defendants in court (Photo: Gil Yohanan)
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