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| By: Associated Press |
| Published: May 18, 2006 |
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Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert admitted Wednesday that his country is plagued with organized crime.
Addressing an international convention on corruption in government, Olmert said that crime has infiltrated many aspects of Israeli life. Departing from his text, which used the term "organized criminal activity," Olmert said he had decided to call the phenomenon by its name.
"I think the time has come, unfortunately, to say organized crime."
Local mobsters have tried to rub each other out with bullets, bombs and anti-tank rockets, sometimes catching innocent civilians in the crossfire.
Leading crime families are said to be involved in gambling, prostitution and money laundering. The daughter of a reputed crime boss won a seat in the parliament that ended its term after March 28 elections. Earlier this year she prevented a search of her father's house by invoking parliamentary privilege.
Olmert, who took office earlier this month, said he met with police commanders and told them to target crime on all levels. "We will have no patience in the struggle against crime," he said, but gave no specific details. |
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