[CPProt.net] Israel: Police arrest archaeologist suspected of ancient relic trade

[MSN CPPnet (Ton Cremers)]

Last update - 09:53 02/11/2005
Police arrest archaeologist suspected of ancient relic trade
By Jonathan Lis, Haaretz Correspondent

An archaeologist was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of locating and
purchasing an ancient document from antiquities thieves.

Professor Hanan Eshel, of Bar-Ilan University, is suspected of purchasing
pieces of a Leviticus scroll from the Bar Kokhba period (132-135 CE) from
three West Bank Bedouin for $3,000. The three Bedouin allegedly showed the
document first to a doctoral student of Eshel, Roi Porat. Porat, who was
also questioned yesterday, allegedly called in Eshel, who subsequently made
the purchase. Eshel and Porat were released with 
limitations after questioning.

The police opened the investigation following a complaint lodged by the
Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA). Eshel and Porat are charged with
unlawful possession of antiquities, failure to report the purchase of the
scroll to the IAA within the required 15 days, and with unlawful excavation.
Police said Eshel knew the scroll had come into the possession of the
sellers through a robbery.

When the IAA realized that Eshel, who has been interviewed in the media
about the scroll in recent months, had purchased it, they openned an
internal investigation. During this period, Eshel turned the scroll over to
the IAA. The Israel Defense Forces and the police recently were able to
locate three Bedouin suspected of stealing and selling the scroll. The three
were arrested in their village and remanded in military court. One of them
admitted during questioning that he had sold the scroll to Eshel and Porat.

Sources in the police confirmed Tuesday that Eshel told them he had
purchased the scroll with funds obtained from a third person, who is also
being questioned. Eshel told investigators he did not report the theft to
the IAA out of concern the IAA would take the credit. Eshel also said he did
not know the law required him to report finding the scroll to the IAA. 

"Professor Eshel is one of the world's outstanding scholars of Judean Desert
manuscripts," Bar-Ilan University said in response. "Professor Eshel has
worked tirelessly to study the treasures of Jewish history. He saved a
scroll of inestimable value and gave it to the state, and thus prevented
antiquities theft and perhaps the destruction of an important find. Bar-Ilan
University is convinced at the end of the investigation that it will be
clear that Professor Eshel acted innocently and out of 
purely academic motives."

http://www.haaretz.com/