After the motzei Shabbos arrest of underworld boss Shalom Domrani and six of his senior soldiers, police arrested a prominent rav/mekubal from Netivot in Ben-Gurion International Airport. Police report the rav was heading to the Chabad community in China. The rav is well known in Netivot and stands at the helm of mosdos that includes thousands of talmidim and avreichim.

YWN-ISRAEL reported earlier that police report the rabbi who was taken into custody hired Domrani’s services to threaten Rabbi Yaakov Effergan, the ‘Rentgan’ regarding the recent municipal elections in the city. The rav allegedly ordered a hit against a person close to Rav Effergan.

Israel Radio reports the recent awakening of the underworld and related bombing attacks and attempted attacks led to stepped-up investigatory efforts. These efforts including wiretaps and this led to the arrest of people in rabbinical circles. The person marked for assassination is said to be a senior gabbai to The Rentgan, for daring to challenge the attempted interference in the election, trying to intimidate Rav Effergan into supporting another candidate.

Domrani denies being involved in any threat in any way shape or form against Rabbi Effergan.

Persons close to Rav Effergan’s family report they are fearful for their safety as a result of recent events. The rav in custody was arraigned on Sunday, 7 Kislev, and his detention was extended until Wednesday, 10 Kislev. Justice Menachem Mizrachi stated the evidence in the case is strong enough to order the rav held over in detention.

Defense attorney Menachem Rubinstein told reporters his client, the rav, has not met with Domrani since Sukkos when he came seeking a bracha. Rubinstein feels police are under enormous pressure to show progress in the case due to the increase in underworld activity and his client is simply a scapegoat.

In his arraignment hearing in the Rishon L’Tzion Magistrate Court, Domrani, who wears a yarmulke, told the court “in a conversation with Rabbi Effergan’s sister Bruriya, I told her that there are rumors that we want to harm the rav. Chas v’sholom that I would ever harm a rav” he claims to have said. “We believe in Hashem. We would never do such a thing” he added. Domrani’s remand was extended for one week.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)