US Reveals Israel Avoided Extraditing 'Ashkelon Hacker' Despite 2017 Request

A senior official from the US Department of Justice's Office of International Affairs (OIA) submitted a sworn statement to a Florida federal court detailing the United States' efforts to extradite Michael Ron David Kedar, known as the "Ashkelon Hacker," from Israel. Kedar, an Israeli-American, was convicted in Israel in 2018 for multiple offenses including extortion, computer crimes, and making false bomb threats against Jewish institutions, kindergartens, embassies, and airplanes. After serving his sentence, he moved to Norway and sought asylum, where he was arrested in October 2024 following a US-issued international arrest warrant.

The affidavit, submitted by Jeffrey M. Olson of the OIA, reveals that the US requested Kedar's temporary arrest in Israel for extradition as early as April 21, 2017, shortly after criminal charges were filed against him in the US. The Israeli Ministry of Justice acknowledged receipt of the request the next day but never executed the arrest nor formally rejected the request. Israel cited the "Prior Prosecution" clause in the extradition treaty, arguing that because Kedar had already been prosecuted in Israel for similar offenses, extradition was unlikely.

Despite Kedar's conviction and a seven-year sentence confirmed by Israel's Supreme Court in 2020, the US continued to pursue extradition. Discussions between US and Israeli officials in late 2019 and subsequent years pressed Israel to act, but Israeli authorities maintained their position, partly due to Kedar's age during some offenses and the ongoing Israeli prosecution. The US also sought to include additional charges related to "swatting" incidents not covered in the Israeli indictment, with evidence obtained in Israel. However, before these matters were resolved, Kedar left Israel on June 27, 2024, and did not return.

Kedar's former attorney, Nir Yeselovitch, confirmed that the affidavit officially acknowledges the US extradition request from 2017 and Israel's effective refusal based on prior prosecution. He criticized the continued US pursuit of Kedar after his Israeli sentence as contrary to principles of justice and respect for sovereign legal processes. The US case against Kedar remains active in Florida, where he faces 32 federal charges including interstate threats and bomb threats.

Summary: The US Department of Justice disclosed that it requested Israel to arrest and extradite Michael Ron David Kedar in 2017, but Israel never complied, citing prior prosecution. Despite ongoing US efforts, Israel maintained its refusal, and Kedar left Israel in 2024. The US prosecution continues in Florida.

Points: - The US requested Israel to arrest and extradite Kedar in April 2017, but Israel never acted on it. - Israel cited prior prosecution as the main reason to deny extradition under the treaty. - Kedar was convicted in Israel in 2018 and sentenced to seven years after Supreme Court confirmation. - US officials repeatedly pressed Israel from 2019 to 2023 to comply with the extradition request. - Kedar left Israel in June 2024 before additional US charges could be addressed. - Kedar's former lawyer says Israel's refusal effectively rejected the US extradition request.

Topic: security israel_relevant: true Entities: {"people":["Michael Ron David Kedar","Jeffrey M. Olson","Nir Yeselovitch"],"organizations":["US Department of Justice","Office of International Affairs","Israeli Ministry of Justice","FBI"],"places":["Israel","Norway","United States","Florida","Ashkelon","Oslo","Jerusalem"]}