Former Israeli Police Intelligence Chief Criticizes Handling of Maly and Liel Diamond Case in Argentina
Retired Police Commissioner Guy Nir, former head of the Intelligence Division in Israel's Investigation and Intelligence Department and Israel's police representative in Latin America, commented on the recent discovery of Maly and Liel Diamond in Argentina. While he welcomed the successful location of the two women, whose disappearance had alarmed the Israeli public amid Iranian threats, Nir criticized the initial investigative approach taken upon their discovery.
In an interview with Channel 7, Nir revealed that if he had been in charge, he would have conducted a more rigorous interrogation. He said he would have immediately separated the two women to compare their accounts and possibly avoided identifying himself as Israeli, instead letting local officers question them in Spanish or English. He emphasized the importance of thorough investigative measures, including searching for tracking devices or signs of coercion, to clarify whether the women were under threat or surveillance.
Nir acknowledged that although the case did not involve a criminal offense like "state harassment," the extensive resources invested by Israeli authorities justified a detailed inquiry to provide transparency to the public and the families involved. He also defended the initial security concerns, noting that the possibility of an Iranian attack or kidnapping warranted the extensive search efforts.
Regarding the swift location of the women, Nir attributed it to their use of genuine identification documents and not attempting to conceal their identities, which facilitated technological tracking. He also highlighted the challenges posed by European privacy laws that restrict investigative tools compared to Israel or South America.
Addressing broader criticisms of police handling of missing persons cases, Nir agreed that more could be done using advanced technologies typically reserved for exceptional cases. He clarified misconceptions about Interpol, describing it as a coordination body rather than an international enforcement agency, and shared his own experience leading operations to capture fugitives in South America.
Finally, Nir described the demanding and risky nature of Israeli police work in Latin America, which involves combating crime, drug trafficking, and locating Israeli criminals hiding abroad, requiring deep local knowledge and cooperation with trustworthy contacts.
