Israel rejected Germany’s request to extradite Stephen Smyrek, a German citizen charged with planning to help Hezbollah militants carry out a terrorist attack in Israel. A representative from the state attorney’s office stated in court that Israel wanted to try Smyrek, who was arrested at Ben-Gurion Airport when he arrived in Israel in November. Smyrek’s lawyer, who said he did not believe his client would get a fair trial in Israel, accused Israel of holding onto his client to use him as a possible bargaining chip in a future prisoner exchange with Hezbollah.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.