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Israel's interior minister face corruption investigation

Xinhua, April 1, 2016 Adjust font size:

Israel's attorney general ordered Thursday to open a full criminal investigation into corruption allegations against Interior Minister Aryeh Deri, who had already served time in prison for graft.

The decision was made following an initial probe into the case.

"After reviewing the probe... the attorney general decided to convert the probe procedure into a criminal investigation," reads a statement released by the Justice Ministry.

Police spokeswoman Luba Samri said the suspicions against Deri are still under a gag order, but Channel 2 reported that the investigation apparently focuses on real estate property owned by Deri and his family, including a vacation villa in northern Israel and apartments belonging to each of his nine children.

Deri, 57, is the leader of Sephardic ultra-Orthodox party Shas, a vital part of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's narrow right-wing coalition.

He became the interior minister in January, after the former minister Silvan Shalom stepped down amidst allegations of sexual harassment.

Deri served as interior minister in early 1990s and was forced to resign in 1993 over corruption charges. He was found guilty of bribery, fraud and breach of trust, and served a prison sentence between 2000 and 2003. Endit