'Up for demolition' on mosque
Photo: Courtesy of pls48.net website
Suspects in mosque desecration released
Police say investigation did not produce enough evidence to link yeshiva students to crime
Police on Wednesday released from custody four youngsters who were arrested last week on suspicion of involvement in the desecration of a mosque in the northern village of Ibtin.
The 18-year-old yeshiva students are suspected of spray-painting "Up for demolition," "Price tag," and "War will break out in Judea and Samaria" on the mosque. Star of David signs were also sprayed on the building.
One of the suspects in court (Avisag She'ar Yeshuv)
The suspects, who were ordered to keep away from the Ibtin area, may be placed under house arrest for the next five days or be taken to their yeshiva.
Police officials said the week-long investigation did not produce sufficient evidence to link the suspects to the crime.
The youngsters' families denied the allegations and launched a public campaign to clear their names. The families appealed to Knesset members and claimed that the continued holding of the four without sufficient evidence was aimed at appeasing the Arab public.
Police initially said the decision to arrest Ahiya Shor, Hanani Lieberson, Yosef Matot and David Weinberg was based on intelligence they had obtained.
The young men's teachers also joined the battle for their release. Rabbi Shneur Katz, who heads the yeshiva at which three of them study, told Ynet he did not want to get involved at first because he thought they would be let go immediately.
"Now, after they have been held for a week without a shred of evidence, I understand that from investigating the truth (the police) have turned to conducting a witch hunt at the students' expense," he said.
