Nabbed at India-Sri Lanka border (Archive photo)
Photo: Reuters
Gili Heskin
Photo: Avinoam Talbi
India: Israeli nabbed for carrying bullet
Israeli tour guide Gili Heskin arrested in south India Friday after bullet was found in his backpack as he was traveling to Sri Lanka with some 30 Israeli tourists
Forty-seven-year-old Israeli tour guide Gili Heskin was arrested in south India on Friday after a bullet was found in his backpack as he was traveling to Sri Lanka with a group of some 30 Israeli tourists, including his parents.
Heskin’s uncle, Avinoam Talbi, told Ynet, “Gili has 30 years of experience as a tour guide and would not go around carrying a rifle bullet in his backpack.”
“He travels the world and has not done army reserve duty for the past 20 years. I believe the bullet was planted in his backpack.”
'Every Israeli citizen must abide by local law'
Heskin was apprehended when guards found the bullet during a search of his belongings as he was attempting to cross the maritime border into Sri Lanka.
Heskin’s father led the tourists into Sri Lanka in his son’s stead.
Talbi added, “It is very worrying. Even though we heard the offense he is being charged with has been reduced from a terror-related offense to illegal possession of arms, this is a small comfort. He never even owned a gun. I guess someone wanted to get him in trouble.”
While the Israeli Foreign Ministry is following the case closely, and a local lawyer has already been assigned to represent Heskin, ministry spokesman Mark Regev said, “The Foreign Ministry cannot intervene in the legal process of a sovereign nation.
“Today a preliminary hearing is set be held to determine whether Heskin will be released on bail. The ministry does not condone violations of the law, but wants to clarify that in Israel tour guides do carry weapons on occasion. In any case, every Israeli citizen must abide by local law.”
