Court keeps fifth Jewish-minor terror suspect in Shin Bet custody

The Lod District Court ordered the fifth Jewish-minor terror suspect to remain in Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) custody on Sunday, rejecting an appeal by his lawyers. Last week, the Rishon Lezion Magistrate's Court ordered the release of four of the suspects in the Jewish terror case to house arrest until at least Tuesday, while keeping the fifth in custody until Tuesday. The fifth suspect has been in custody since December 30, although he did get to meet with his lawyers after a week. Lawyers Itamar Ben Gvir and Adi Keidar of Honenu tried to get the Lod District Court to intervene on Friday and then again on Sunday, but were rejected. They said that they might appeal to the Supreme Court. They were particularly incensed that the minor was still kept in custody, claiming that “he has sat for a week without even being questioned and there are no investigatory activities that he can interfere with.” Ben Gvir declared a partial victory last week when the four minors were released and slammed the Shin Bet for the alleged wrongful arrest and mistreatment of the four. However, the Shin Bet had responded to the court decisions, highlighting that the detention of one of the suspects was extended for six days and that the others were not released fully, but were still under house arrest. It contradicted claims by the minors' defense lawyers that the four had been cleared of all charges, saying instead that the files for all four had been transferred to the prosecution, who might still indict some or all of them. On January 6, the Shin Bet revealed that some of the minors are suspects in the murder of Palestinian woman Aysha al-Rabi. Rabi, a mother of nine, was hit by rocks while being driven in a car by her husband near the Tapuah Barrier in the West Bank and killed on October 12. From the start, there was testimony that Jewish rock throwers had been involved, but no one had been caught until last Sunday. The Shin Bet has portrayed the minors as suspects involved in the murder and as being part of a radical group of anti-Zionist religious fanatics with similarities to those currently on trial for the murder of three Palestinians in Duma in July 2015. There are other parallels to that case too, some of the minors interrogated were prevented from seeing their lawyers for more than a week – a measure reserved for terror cases, but for which right-wing groups have publicly campaigned against.

Court keeps fifth Jewish-minor terror suspect in Shin Bet custody

Last week, the Rishon Lezion Magistrate's Court ordered the release of four of the suspects in the Jewish terror case to house arrest, while keeping the fifth in custody until Tuesday.

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Court keeps fifth Jewish-minor terror suspect in Shin Bet custody

Last week, the Rishon Lezion Magistrate's Court ordered the release of four of the suspects in the Jewish terror case to house arrest, while keeping the fifth in custody until Tuesday.

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