After 12 days in custody: Young people with special needs who were suspected of attempted terrorism were released

Two East Younger youths were arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after being caught on the Temple Mount with one knife on them. In a regular investigation, the two admitted, but denied the actions of the Special Investigator. However, the prosecutor's office filed a prosecutor's statement, but reiterated it. "It is regrettable that the examination of evidence was not done before"

The Jerusalem District Attorney's Office said on Sunday that it reiterated its intention to indict two special-needs youths arrested on suspicion of an attack on the Temple Mount. The two young men, aged 16 and 18 from East Jerusalem, were released after 12 days in custody for a six-day detention, and the state representative said the investigation was under review. "It is regrettable that the examination of the evidence was not made before the statement," Judge Elazar Bialin said at the time of the release.

The two were arrested on January 29 on the Temple Mount while searching, with one of them found a knife. The police statement said they were suspected of reaching the Temple Mount for the purpose of stabbing a police officer, but their actions were thwarted "due to the high vigilance and prompt response of police officers operating in the area of ​​the Temple Mount."

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The prosecution has announced its intention to indict and reinstate it. Handcuffs (illustration)

Pistols, handcuffs and police car (Photo: Nir Landau, Walla system!)

Two were attributed to murder planning and racially motivated offenses and one was possession of a knife, and they were first investigated by an ordinary investigator and admitted ascribed to them. However, since these were young people with special needs, they were subsequently questioned twice by a special investigator and denied that they had planned to carry out the attack. Attorney Mohammed Mahmoud said in the hearing that their first confession given to a regular investigator was unlawfully collected and added that the suspect did not pull a knife, but found it in his pocket. And this while the police representative said the suspect was trying to pull out a knife when a search was carried out and a police officer seized him. After several arrests, the prosecutor's office announced Thursday that it intends to indict the two for the offenses attributed to them.

After the attack line: Increased security preparations for Friday prayers

Arrested on January 29 on the Temple Mount while searching, with one of them on a knife. Prayers on Temple Mount (Photo: Reuters)

Friday prayer near Al-Aqsa Mosque on Temple Mount on January 31, 2020 (Photo: Reuters)

At the hearing, it emerged that the prosecutor did not receive the summaries of the latest investigation into the suspects, but only updated the findings by telephone by the Special Investigator. The lawyer of the two criticized the prosecution's conduct. "These are respondents who suffer from physical and mental deficiencies who were successful in their investigation by a special investigator twice, yet a prosecutor's statement is filed without the state's representatives perusing the new material added - most notably, their additional investigation by a special investigator," said Attorney Mahmoud. Weight for versions given to the Special Investigator, versions "which were materially defective in the first version."

"We warned that things were not right"

The arrest of the two was extended until yesterday, when the prosecution was to be indicted. The prosecutor's office told their lawyer to come to the district court for the indictment, but they finally announced that they would be released. "We warned that the situation was not good, and all the evidence indicated it was wrong. It is good that the prosecution has re-examined it, but it is a shame that they did not reach that conclusion on Thursday," Mahmoud added.

The parents of the two suspects said today at home from the trial that the two are attending a special education school together and suffer from mental retardation and physical disability. They described the harsh feeling after learning about the arrests and were happy about the release. "I went crazy that I heard when he was arrested, don't know what he did there. He keeps going from school to home, doesn't know how he got there. He has 80% disability," said the 18-year-old's father.

"This is a certificate of honor for the integrity and professionalism of the prosecution." Temple Mount (Photo: Reuters)

The Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem, January 17, 2020 (Photo: Reuters)

The second suspect's father said he found out about the arrest on Facebook. "I saw there that he was arrested, and we started looking for him. It was really worrying, but we know he can't do such a thing, we have no doubt, there's no way he'll do it," he said, describing the feeling now. "There's a better, more comfortable feeling. He came home to us. It's hard to describe the joy in words."

The prosecutor's office said in response: "The presentation of the allegations that a malpractice was allegedly handled by the prosecution in the case is incorrect. The purpose of the plaintiff's statement is a statement to the court that the investigations have ended and that there is an evidentiary basis for the offenses which the prosecution seeks to prove in court. The prosecutor's statement made it possible for the prosecuting authorities to allow sufficient time for the prosecuting authorities to examine the investigation material in the event of a malpractice, and therefore the fact that a decision was made not to indict does not indicate the contrary. This is an honorary certificate for honesty and for me Performance of the prosecution ".