As it appears from the evidence material, the supplier of the goods was sent on charges 4 and 5 (European Technical Trading), a document dated 11 July 2000, pretending to be an authentic document, sent from Mizrahi Bank (P/292). There is no dispute that such a letter was not issued by Mizrahi Bank, when according to the supplier's representative, Mr. Ali Sadiq, he received the document by fax from defendant 3.
Mr. Sadiq's testimony was given via closed-circuit television, with the witness giving his testimony in the Belgian courtroom. Mr. Sadiq confirmed that all the relevant documents, as part of the transactions carried out with his company, were sent to him by defendant 3, and on the paper of the firm "Forum Office Import-Export" from Nahariya.
In the same testimony, the witness referred to a document that was supposedly sent to him by the Mizrahi Bank in Israel, bearing the date 11 July 2000. According to this document (P/292), which is undisputed to be false and forged, Mizrahi Bank undertakes, as it were, to cover the sum of $301,870, subject to receipt of documents relating to the supply of goods, and it is further stated in this document that the documents intended for the release of the goods must arrive within 14 days from the date of the goods arriving at their destination.
In the same document, there are two telephone numbers, in Israel: 972-2-9973245 and fax 972-2-9973508.
As may be recalled, the bills of lading were issued for the benefit of the "Arab Bank" in Ramallah, and not for the benefit of the Mizrahi Bank, and this was done in accordance with the request of Defendant 3, which Mr. Sadiq learned about a year later.
In his testimony, Mr. Sadiq said that after receiving the letter (P/292), he spoke with a person who introduced himself as the bank manager "in order to verify the fax" (p. 2911 of the transcript, para. 29).
There is no dispute that the telephone numbers indicated in document P/292 belong to a person named Ephraim Meir, who lives in Beit El.