Eighteen-year-old Mordechai Meir, suspected of organizing arson attack on Galilee church, to be jailed for as long as six months without trial.
Defence Minister Moshe Ya’alon signed an order Tuesday night to allow the administrative detention of right-wing activist Mordechai Meir (18) to last as long as six months without trial.
Meir, a resident of Ma’ale Adumim, just east of Jerusalem, was arrested Tuesday evening on suspicion of organizing an arson attack on the Church of Loaves and Fishes on the Sea of Galilee several weeks ago.
The suspect had been under house arrest and forbidden from going to certain places after spending some time in jail. A second suspect, Avitar Salonim, was also arrested Tuesday for helping organize the activities of Jewish extremists and forbidden from going to the West Bank or Jerusalem.
An official statement from the Defense Ministry said that Meir had been involved in violent incidents and terror attacks as part of a “Jewish terrorist group.”
Tuesday’s decision was the first of its kind against a Jewish-Israeli suspect in years and came after the Security Cabinet decided earlier in the week to use the method of administrative detention against Jewish suspects of extremist attacks.
Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein also offered his legal support for the decision before Ya’alon signed the order.
As reported by Ynetnews