A married yeshiva student from Jerusalem who was arrested on suspicion of helping a known criminal under house arrest flee the country described during his interrogation how he used his own passport at border control while another person passed through the gate in his place, i24NEWS reported.
During police questioning, the suspect described to investigators the method allegedly used by people subject to travel bans to bypass passport control at Ben Gurion Airport en route to Uman: He identified himself at the automated passport control station using his own passport, allowing the person he was helping to pass through the gate instead.
Details of his testimony were revealed Sunday evening by i24NEWS, during the channel's main news broadcast.
The suspect, a man in his 30s, was recently arrested by officers from the Modi'in Illit Police Station. Last week, i24NEWS reported how the criminal had managed to leave Israel despite being required to remain under house arrest.
During questioning, an investigator asked the suspect to explain how the arrangement worked.
"Someone called me and said he had a travel ban and wanted to go to Uman because he had never been there," he replied.
According to his testimony, he agreed to help the man leave the country, booked him a flight through a travel website, and arrived with him at Ben Gurion Airport on the day of departure.
"At the place where you have to place your passport, I place my passport there and look at the camera, and he walks through the gate when it opens," he explained.
The suspect himself remained in Israel.
During his interrogation, he admitted that this was not the first time he had used the method.
Police requested an extension of his detention, but despite his confession, the court ordered him releaesed to eight days of house arrest.