ARTICLE: Gambling kingpin, bodyguard remanded

[Louis Cypher]

www.haaretzdaily.com

Thu., December 18, 2003 Kislev 23, 5764 Israel Time: 01:20 (GMT+2)

By Roni Singer


Tel Aviv's Magistrate's Court yesterday extended for five days the remand of Yossi Mussali, an underworld figure known to police for involvement in gambling activities, and of his bodyguard, Daniel Karol. Police investigators suspect that the bodyguard, on orders from his boss, fired shots at a man who owed Mussali money.

The shooting incident occurred several weeks ago, on Tel Aviv's Six-Day War Street. The apparent target of the attack was another figure with a police record for gambling, Yossi Ben Harosh. The police established that the shooter worked in a gambling establishment owned by Mussali. The dispute between Harosh and Mussali was reportedly sparked by a NIS 400,000 debt. Police suspect that Karol fired at Ben Harosh's legs, on orders given by Mussali.

"What happened here is that the bodyguard turned into a hired hit man for the mob," a police source said yesterday. "In itself, the subject of personal bodyguards hired by criminals bothers us; but the topic leads to police investigations when it turns out that the bodyguards are used to commit crimes," the source added.