Michael Schlissel
Yishai Schlissel's brother released by police
Following the largest Pride Parade in Jerusalem, Michael Schlissel, released from 2-day remand: Defense claims he never intended to attack the marchers; Father: 'We were all in shock, but to harass the whole family like this?'
Michael Schlissel, the brother of Yishai Schlissel who murdered Shira Banki at last year’s Pride Parade, was released by the Jerusalem District Court following a two-day arrest on suspicion of planning to attack participants of Thursday’s Jerusalem Pride Parade.
Michael Schlissel denied that he had any desire to perpetrate an attack against the marchers as his convicted brother asked him to do so during a conversation while he was in prison.
Michael Schlissel (Photo: Eli Mendelbaum)
He further claimed that not only did he have no interest in attacking the marchers, but he even told his brother, who is serving a life sentence in prison, that he disagreed with him, adding a biblical word “nemesis” which he claimed was misinterpreted by the people monitoring the conversation, which was also recorded.
His lawyer, Itamar Ben-Gvir said, “The police understand today that Michael is innocent but it is a shame that it took them three days to understand this. The investigators didn’t understand that the term ‘nemesis’ (recorded in the conversation) was michael disagreeing with his brother which, in my opinion, justifies enlisting Haredi investigators in the police."
Jerusalem Pride Parade (Photo: Gil Yohanan)
On Thursday during a hearing on extending Michael’s remand, Eliezer Schlissel, the brothers’ father expressed deep remorse for the murder of Shira Banki: “I wanted to hug (Shira Banki’s) father. He didn’t want to meet with me. I sent a few representatives and he said it was difficult for him. That was last year. I fully sympathize with the pain.”
“We were all in shock that Yishai murdered her, like all Israelis. It seriously hurt the family and we are sure it also hurts Yishai. We have heard this from him explicitly. He didn’t really intend to get to this point,” Eliezer continued. “But from this the police enter into a total panic and harass the whole family that is not connected at all? He was detained and some of the family didn’t see him. I didn’t visit him, I didn’t speak to him. Nothing.”
On Thursday the Pride Parade took place in Jerusalem as planned attracting more than 25,000 marchers making it the largest of its kind in the capital. Prior to its commencement, 48 individuals were arrested who attempted to disrupt the parade and others were even founds in possession of knives. All the suspects were taken in for questioning.
