Israel charges Arab man over giving smuggled phones to MK Ghattas

The Israeli southern district prosecutor yesterday filed an indictment against an Arab-Israeli man charging him with giving mobile phones and other items to MK Basil Ghattas to smuggle into prison.

Filed at the Beersheba District Court, the charges are against 51-year-old Assad Daka who is suspected of meeting Ghattas at a petrol station on 18 December and handing him 12 mobile phones, 16 SIM cards in addition to other equipment.

According to the allegations, Ghattas was to sneak the items into a prison where Daka’s brother Walim is being held.

Later that day, Ghattas entered the prison with the items and handed them to two prisoners.

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The prosecution asked the court to extend Dakka’s detention until the completion of legal proceedings.

Ghattas, of the Balad party, was arrested on Friday after his parliamentary immunity was waived amid accusations that he smuggled mobile phones, SIM cards and coded messages to prisoners.