Three Jewish teens indicted for ‘price tag’ torching Israeli-Arab car
Shin Bet, NGO fight over whether confessions coerced.
By YONAH JEREMY BOBUpdated: JULY 19, 2016 15:03Vehicle burned by Jewish suspects in a revenge attack against Palestinians for the June 8 shooting at Tel Aviv's Sarona Market(photo credit: POLICE SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT)
Three Jewish teenagers in grades 9 and 10 were indicted in connection with “price tag” revenge attacks on Israeli-Arabs, including torching a car, in the Nazareth District Court Juvenile Section on Tuesday.The indictment filed by the Northern District Attorney’s Office said that they perpetrated the attacks on June 10 in “revenge” following a June 8 terror attack by Palestinian gunmen at Tel Aviv's Sarona Market.The indictment accused two of the three of direct involvement in the torching of a vehicle belonging to an Arab-Israeli citizen in the village of Yafia, located near Nazareth and the third teenager of failing to stop them despite knowing of their intentions.The Shin Bet also said that the youth had defaced a second vehicle belonging to an Arab-Israeli by spray-painting "Price Tag" and "Revenge" on the victim's car.The Shin Bet said in a statement that under interrogation, the suspects had confessed to committing the acts.Honeinu, an NGO which represents right-wing activists in court accused the Shin Bet of coercing the teenagers into confessing, including violating their specially protected rights as minors.The Shin Bet responded that it had followed the law in all cases and that the courts had monitored and signed off on the interrogations.On June 8, four Israelis were gunned down at the popular shopping center after two Palestinians opened fire randomly on civilians at the Max Brenner Café and its surrounding.An investigation centering on the three minors revealed that they had plotted their actions for a long time, in response to Palestinian terrorist attacks that occurred recently, the Shin Bet said.The Sarona market attack in Tel Aviv prompted them to act, the investigation found.
Links between the suspects and radical hilltop activists in the Binyamin and Samaria region were also uncovered, the Shin Bet said, particularly activists from the Geulat Zion outpost, near Adi-Ad.The Shin Bet said the investigation formed another chain in a series of measures aimed at thwarting Jewish terror cells over the past two years. The measures have "led to a significant drop in the scope and severity of violent incidents and terrorism committed against Palestinians and Arab citizens of Israel," the Shin Bet added.