Jaffa imam arrested on suspicion of security offenses

Muhammad Ayash's attorney rejects accusations, hopes his client's name will be cleared in coming days; court extends remand.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Palestinians mark Ramadan 311 AP (photo credit: Associated Press)
Palestinians mark Ramadan 311 AP
(photo credit: Associated Press)
An imam from Jaffa who was arrested by the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) and the police Tuesday on suspicion of having committed security offenses was brought before Petah Tikvah Magistrate's court on Wednesday.
The court extended Muhammad Ayash's remand by eight days and placed a gag order on the majority of the details known to authorities working on the case.
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Ayash, of al-Bahr mosque, also had his home searched upon his arrest. His lawyer denied the accusations leveled at his client and expressed hopes for a swift release.
Last week, an imam from a Nazareth mosque, Nazim Mahmoud Salim, was indicted for incitement to violence and supporting a terror organization. He was arrested nearly one month ago by the Shin Bet (Israeli Security Agency) and Israel Police.
Salim was originally arrested after one of the suspects in the November 2009 murder of taxi driver Yafim Weinstein told investigators that the imam's sermons were what incited him to commit the murder.