Israeli to be extradited to US on suspicion of hate crimes

Suspect is member of organization which provides security services to Jewish population in Brooklyn, wanted for attacking African-American.

By JOANNA PARASZCZUK
arrest 311 R (photo credit: REUTERS/Eric Gaillard )
arrest 311 R
(photo credit: REUTERS/Eric Gaillard )
The Jerusalem District Court ruled on Thursday to accept a petition filed by the attorney-general to extradite an Israeli citizen wanted in the US on suspicion of hate crimes against an African- American citizen.
The Department of International Affairs of the State Attorney’s Office filed the petition on behalf of Attorney- General Yehuda Weinstein in May, after the US authorities requested the extradition. The suspect, Yitzhak Shochet, is wanted on several charges, including second-degree assault, a hate crime and second-degree attempted assault.
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According to the extradition request, Shochet is a member of a voluntary organization, “Shmira,” which provides security services to the Jewish population living in Crown Heights, a hassidic neighborhood in Brooklyn.
The organization is very aggressive and operates “vigilante” groups, the US authorities claimed in the request.
In May 2008 the US authorities filed an indictment against Shochet, charging him with the alleged attack against Andrew Charles, an African-American youth a month earlier.
The indictment also alleges that Shochet tried to attack Charles’s friend, Kevin Awinz, an African–American man. According to the evidence, Shochet stopped his car near the victim then got out, went over to where the victim was standing and launched an unprovoked attack, hitting him several times with a wooden club.
Shochet then allegedly drove away from the scene. Charles was taken to the hospital with multiple injuries.
The Israel Police Interpol Squad also assisted with the filing of the extradition case.


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