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Sarkozy assassination scare mystery { May 2008 }

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   http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/israel/2194374/Nicolas-Sarkozy-assassination-scare-Mystery-over-suicide-policeman.html

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/israel/2194374/Nicolas-Sarkozy-assassination-scare-Mystery-over-suicide-policeman.html

Nicolas Sarkozy assassination scare: Mystery over suicide policeman
By Tim Butcher in Jerusalem
Last Updated: 2:28AM BST 26/06/2008

The policeman who shot himself as French president Nicolas Sarkozy left Tel Aviv airport on Tuesday has been named as Raeed Ghanem, a 32-year-old member of Israel's Druze minority.

But while police sources said they were confident he committed suicide, there was no explanation of why he might have taken his life.

Suicide is stigmatised by the Druze and his family insisted it was an accident.

The mystery stirred interest among Hebrew bloggers who came up with conspiracy theories including one suggestion that he was looking down the telescopic sight on his rifle at the VIP party prompting army snipers to take him out.

Members of his family in the village of Beit Jan in northern Israel said he had been married for eight years with two children and owned his own house.

"We scornfully reject the claims that our son took his own life," a family member said.

"He was a kindhearted and happy person.

"He had a family and there was no reason for him to do such a horrible thing."

His brother, Nayef, said he did not believe in the suicide theory.

"He had no reason to take his own life," he said.

"It may have been an accident or he was unwittingly killed by another Israeli guard.

His father Assad said his son was in good spirits when he left home to join his unit on Tuesday.

"He had a family, a house, friends and plans for the future, he had no reason to commit suicide," he said.

Israel's Channel 2 television channel reported last night the preliminary results of the police investigation into the shooting.

Burn marks were found on one of Ghanem's hands and traces of explosives on the other, which is consistent with him having held the muzzle of the gun next to his head and pulled the trigger with his other hand.

His family hired a lawyer to ensure there is a "complete and detailed" investigation and to gain access to security video footage from the airport.

The Druze are a sect loosely connected with Islam who made their homes in the mountains of the Holy Land. Today they are found in Syria, Lebanon and Israel.

Unlike Israeli Arabs, they are a minority which is allowed by Israel to take full part in the country's security apparatus, including the army and police force.

As a relatively poor community many of the community's young men opt for a life in the Israeli security forces.

Ghanem's cousin, Mouin, said that the officer was born and raised in Beit Jan.

"He excelled in everything, starting at school, through his military service in the Givati Brigade, and later continued to serve the State when he joined the Border Guard."

His mother Hanna was killed in an accident several years ago. He was survived by his father, wife, two children, three brothers and five sisters.

The sound of the gunshot as President Sarkozy and his wife Carla prepared to leave Israel caused momentary chaos as the area was swamped by armed security guards.



Israeli policeman family refutes suicide claim { June 26 2008 }
Israeli policeman shot during sarkozy visit { May 2008 }
Sarkozy assassination scare mystery { May 2008 }

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