Shin Bet arrests Nazareth imam on terror support charges

Arrested Nazareth sheikh known for inflammatory remarks against Israel and US, previously told pope he is not welcome in northern city.

By BEN HARTMAN
handcuffed 224.88 (photo credit: )
handcuffed 224.88
(photo credit: )
The Nazareth District Court on Wednesday extended by nine days the remand of two Arabs from the Northern accused of a series of security-related crimes.
The two were arrested earlier in the day following an investigation by the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) and the northern branch of the special police investigative unit YAMAR. Both men stand accused of conspiracy, supporting a terrorist organization, and illegal unionizing (hitahdut lo hukit).
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A sweeping gag order has been placed on the case, but it can be reported that the two men are Sheikh Nazem Abu Salim, the imam of Nazareth’s Shihab al- Din mosque, and Muhammad Zudani- Na’arani, another resident of the city.
Abu Salim has a history of making anti- Israel and anti-US remarks. Last year he protested a visit by the pope to Nazareth.
Last week, security services arrested two Israeli Arabs, one from Shfaram and one from Umm el-Fahm, on allegations that they were holding firearms for Hamas and had tried to recruit other Israeli Arabs into the terror group.