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Worshippers in Uman

Hilltop Youth alleges Shin Bet told Ukrainians about him

A right-wing activist claims that Israel's security agency warned Ukrainian authorities that he would be visiting the country, resulting in a three-hour interrogation there. The Shin Bet denies this.

A member of the Hilltop Youth has alleged that the Shin Bet shared information on him with Ukrainian authorities that led to his questioning while on a trip there. The Shin Bet denied having transferred any information to any Ukrainian source.

 

 

The man, identified as N., claims that he is already known to the Shin Bet, and that the intelligence service shared information on him due to fears that he may carry out a "price tag" attack in the country following an anti-Semitic attack in December in the country. In that incident, a pig's head, soaked in fake blood, was flung at a synagogue near the tomb of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov. Jewish worshippers at the site were sprayed with tear gas, and the attackers were Russian-speaking skinheads.

 

Worshippers in Uman (Photo: News 24) (צילום: שמואל בן ישי  - סוכנות הידיעות "חדשות 24")
Worshippers in Uman (Photo: News 24)

 

About a month ago, N. travelled to the same site in Uman with a friend. He claimed that on his way to the synagogue when he was accosted by two uniformed men, one speaking Russian and the other translating into Hebrew. "They identified me by my name and also showed me my picture in a cell phone with a passport number and personal information," N. said.

 

He said that they told him, "We received information on you from Israel, and we want you to come with him." He continued, "At first, I was afraid, but they showed me IDs from an organization similar to the police, and they led me to an apartment in a large building. Inside the room, five police officers in uniform were waiting for me…

 

Aftermath of the December attack
Aftermath of the December attack

 

"They started asking questions: Why did I come here and did I intend to damage churches? I told them no, and that I had only come to the grave of Rabbi Nachman. They continued and asked me if I had heard about the incident that had taken place at the grave."

 

N. said that he told the police that he was familiar with the attack, and he recounted that they warned him not to attack churches, reminding him that they had personal information on him "and that in Israel I had already been investigated a ton of times on suspicion of carrying out 'price tag' (attacks). I answered that I had never been convicted and that I wasn't looking for trouble here."

 

N.'s interrogation allegedly lasted three hours. He said that when he returned to Israel, he received a phone call from somebody in the Shin Bet who discussed the matter with him.

 

His lawyer, Itamar Ben Gvir, is a prominent right-wing activist who often takes on high-profile cases involving settlers. He accused the Shin Bet of leaking information to foreign intelligence agencies. He commented that the Shin Bet "are trying to make the harassment of the Hilltop Youth cross the country's borders."

 

 


פרסום ראשון: 03.12.17, 10:38
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