Blow to police and Shin Bet: The remand of Jewish terror suspect Haim Pearlman has been extended by just two days Monday after the court ruled there was insufficient evidence to convict him.
Pearlman is suspected of murdering four Arabs and also faces seven counts of attempted murder, as well as illegal possession of arms.
Police officials asked the court to extend Pearlman's remand by eight days, supporting the request with a document from the attorney general permitting them to request up to 30 days. However, the Petah Tikvah Magistrates' Court granted authorities only a two-day extension.
"I do not find significant, serious evidence which would be sufficient to convict Pearlman," the presiding judge said. "I see no real progress in the investigation."
Just last week the police and Shin Bet insisted that Pearlman committed the alleged murders with the help of accomplices .They declined to give details.
Pearlman (30), father of three, is suspected of carrying out a series of murders in Jerusalem's Mea Shearim neighborhood in the 1990s in a string of attack which was labeled at the time as the case of the "serial stabber."