Three Arabs going to prison
Photo: AP
3 Arabs sent to jail for torturing Palestinian
Haifa judge says 'this is one of most shocking acts of violence I've ever encountered'; Palestinian targeted after being suspected of stealing Koran
Horrific violence in Galilee: The Haifa District Court sentenced Monday three Arab residents of the Galilee to jail sentences ranging from two to three years for torturing a Hebron man. The three suspected that the Palestinian stole holy books from their community mosque and proceeded to kidnap and hang him, until he lost consciousness.
The judge characterized their actions as one of the gravest cases of violence he has ever encountered.
Last September, 21-year-old Amar Asala and 19-year-old Mahmoud Yassin from Arrabe suspected a 24-year-old man from Hebron stole Korans and other Muslim artifacts from the mosque in their community. The two abducted their victim when they saw him hitchhiking at the entrance to the community. They drove him to a deserted olive grove, undressed him, tied him up, and beat him up cruelly using sticks and planks. They also threatened to electrocute him using cables connected to their vehicle.
'Easy target for despicable acts'
Later, the two drove the victim, who was still naked and tied up, back to Arrabe, where they picked up another young man, 18-year-old Saud Yassin. They proceeded to beat up the victim and then placed a rope around his neck and demanded that he reveal the location of the stolen property. The man denied that he stole anything, and eventually the accused hung him until he lost consciousness. The three then removed the rope from the man's neck, dressed him up, and called the police with the intention of turning him in.
Justice Ilan Schiff noted that the case in question marked a particularly serious offence.
"Often the court sees difficult and shocking cases of violence," he said. "This case is among the most serious ones…the accused acted as prosecutors and judges and even dared partly play the role of the executioner who carries out the verdict."
The judge noted that the accused took advantage of the fact that their victim was an illegal alien, therefore viewing him as an "easy target for their despicable acts."
