'Jewish terrorist' Pearlman: Shin Bet framed me
Kach activist suspected of murdering Arabs in Jerusalem in 1990s says Shin Bet 'fabricated' case against him. 'It's just like the Truman Show,' he tells Channel 2. 'In the mental state I was in, I would have confessed to murdering Arlozorov'. Channel 1: He was recruited by Shin Bet after murders
Kach activist Haim Pearlman, who was arrested Tuesday night on suspicion that he was the "serial stabber" who murdered a number of Arabs in Jerusalem in the 1990s, insisted on Wednesday that he was framed by the Shin Bet security service because he refused to serve as its informant.
"They fabricated the whole thing, just like in the 'Truman Show'. They are trying to frame me. That's what I think," the extreme-rightist told Channel 2.
The 30-year-old Pearlman, a father of three, is suspected of committing a string of murders in Jerusalem's Mea Shearim neighborhood, in what was known at the time as the "Serial Stabber" affair.
Pearlman's associates claimed he was recently asked by the Shin Bet to become an informant and was offered NIS 1,500 (about $390) in exchange for any piece of information.
"In the mental state I was in at the time, with all the money they gave me, I would have admitted to murdering (Haim) Arlozorov," the suspect said. "They kept giving me more and more money, and I didn’t want it to stop. I would have confessed to anything. They are trying to frame me for murder."
'It could cause a war.' Pearlman during Channel 2 interview
According to Pearlman, during a meeting with Shin Bet operatives at a hotel he denied killing any Arabs, but said he tried to give the impression that he was involved in the murders "so they would appreciate me more."
Pearlman said that about two months after the meeting he approached the Shin Bet in search of a job. "He (a Shin Bet operative) tried to convince me to murder Raed Salah (leader of the northern branch of the Islamic Movement in Israel). He told me 'come with a weapon, shoot him, put a bomb under his car'. I told him, 'No way. Do you know what this will do? It could cause a war'. So he told me, 'Yeah, okay'."
The Shin Bet confirmed that security personnel recently met with the radical right-wing activist several times, but stated that "all the actions were meant to serve as a basis for his interrogation. Any claim suggesting the Shin Bet tried to coerce Pearlman is completely baseless."
Meanwhile, Channel 1 reported Wednesday that Pearlman was recruited by the Shin Bet in 2000, after he had allegedly committed the murders.
According to the report, Pearlman was recruited due to his extreme-right background, which the Shin Bet hoped would enable him to gather intelligence on terror activity initiated by Jews.
He left the organization after a few months, but the Shin Bet continued to keep a close watch on him.
The report did not say whether the Shin Bet knew it was recruiting an alleged murderer.
On Wednesday the Petah Tikva District court extended Pearlman's remand by a day, despite the police's request to extend it by 15 days. Pearlman is also suspected of attempted murder and illegal possession of a firearm.
Pearlman, a resident of Givat Washington in central Israel, served time in the past for his involvement in an attack on two Arabs at a Jerusalem supermarket during the funeral procession of Talia and Binyamin Zeev Kahane, who were shot dead by Palestinian terrorists as they were driving home from Jerusalem on the Ramallah bypass road.
Binyamin Zeev Kahane was the son of the late Kach leader Rabbi Meir Kahane.
Pearlman also took part in criminal acts against Israel's unilateral disengagement from Gaza in 2005.
