US official says Israel evaded extradition of ‘Ashkelon hacker’

A U.S. Justice Department affidavit reveals Israel evaded a 2017 U.S. extradition request for Michael Ron David Kedar, the “Ashkelon hacker,” who was eventually extradited from Norway to the U.S. in June. Jeffrey M. Olson, a senior official, stated that the U.S. sought Kedar’s provisional arrest in Israel in April 2017 for making approximately 2,000 hoax bomb threats, primarily targeting Jewish institutions in the U.S. Israel confirmed receipt but never executed the arrest or formally rejected the request.

“Israel did not execute the request and later made clear that his extradition was barred because he had been prosecuted in Israel over the same factual circumstances,”

said Attorney Nir Yaslovitzh, Kedar’s former representative. Israeli officials cited Kedar’s age, location during the offenses, and prior prosecution in Israel as barriers to extradition, interpreting the U.S.-Israel extradition treaty’s “prior prosecution” provision as applicable. Despite ongoing U.S. efforts, Israel informed U.S. officials in November 2024 that Kedar had left Israel in June 2024 without a final position on extradition, leading to his arrest in Oslo in October 2024 on an international warrant.