The Knesset Constitution, Law, and Justice Committee sharply criticized the government’s intention to make the database available to the police and the GSS.
The Knesset Constitution, Law, and Justice Committee has refused to approve regulations proposed by the minister of justice that would allow the Israel Police and General Security Service (GSS) to use information in the database of the Israel Money Laundering Authority. The regulations would have allowed the Police and GSS to use the information in the investigation of other crimes, or forward it to other agencies, for the purpose of investigations not covered by the relevant legislation.
The committee sharply criticized the government’s intention to make the database more widely accessible at the expense of individual rights. Committee chairman Menahem Ben-Sasson (Kadima) ordered the Ministry of Justice and the Money Laundering Authority to reduce the number of additional offences that were to be included along with those directly covered under the provisions of the law, and also, the number of additional agencies involved. He asked that the adjustments be made in consultation with the Knesset’s legal advisers who oppose the proposed regulations, and said that the committee would convene to follow up implementation of the amendments in practice.
Ben Sasson said he was willing to allow Israel Money Laundering Prohibition Authority director Adv. Yehuda Shefer to appear at a special closed session of the committee and provide information on specific cases that support the extension of use of the database.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes.co.il - on June 19, 2006
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