Local council chief in north convicted on extortion charges

The Haifa District Court convicts Shauki Abu Latif, head of the local council in the northern town of Rameh, after he pleads guilty to aiding and abetting extortion through threats, fraud and breach of trust.

The local politician was charged alongside his son, Razi Abu Latif, in 2023 as part of a case involving the extortion of factory owners in the town by the Abu Latif crime family.

The owners were subject to shootings at their homes and business, arson and death threats, the State Attorney’s Office says.

According to the amended indictment, the factory owners reached out to the politician, hoping he could help put an end to the violent intimidation by virtue of his ties to the family.

Instead, he conveyed messages to the factory owners behalf of the blackmailers and attempted to force them to pay NIS 1 million ($343 thousand) for the violence to cease, the State Attorney’s Office says. The first NIS 40,000 ($14,000) was to be paid in cash to his office.

As part of the plea deal, state prosecutors will request the court hand down an 11-month prison sentence, probation and a fine of an unspecified amount.

Abu Latif’s defense attorney is permitted under the deal to argue for a more lenient sentence.