'Underground' members released
'Jewish underground' members Yitzhak Pass, Matityahu Shabo served two-year sentence for illegal possession of arms
"Jewish Underground" members Yitzhak Pass and Matityahu Shabo were released from prison Sunday after serving two-year sentences.
The two were convicted of illegal possession of arms and explosives as members of the clandestine group.
Following his release Pass said, "Apparently the country prefers murderers over the victims. In this country Tzedek (meaning justice or Jupiter) is just the name of a planet."
People close to Pass said he declined an invitation over the weekend by Shin Bet officials who had offered him an opportunity to "turn a new leaf" with the security establishment.
He rejected the offer on grounds that the security establishment did not reduce a third of his prison sentence.
Father of Shalhevet
Pass first gained notoriety in April 2001 when his infant daughter Shalhevet was killed by Palestinian sniper fire in Hebron. Pass refused to bury her for several days, demanding the IDF recapture the Abu Sneina quarter of the ancient city that overlooks a Jewish neighborhood, and from where the terrorist killed Shalhevet.
Plea bargain
He and Shabo were convicted of holding four kilos (about nine pounds) of explosives that had been previously stolen from the IDF.
The two attempted to transfer the explosives to Jerusalem in Pass' car, but were intercepted by security forces near a roadblock north of the capital.
Terror attacks
Another member of the cell, Shachar Zeliger, was convicted of belonging to the "Jewish Underground" and was sentenced to eight years in prison.
From 2001-2002 the "Jewish Underground" carried out a series of shooting attacks at Palestinian vehicles that resulted in the death of eight people and injuries to 16 others.
The group also carried out four terror attacks, mostly near Palestinian schools, which resulted in the injuries of several students.
Raanan Ben-Zur contributed to this article.
