Shin Bet: Jewish extremists seek to overthrow Israel's gov't and crown a king
Intelligence agency: Claims by fanatical detainees of torture are baseless, aimed at distracting from their acts.
By YAAKOV LAPPINUpdated: DECEMBER 25, 2015 02:34A man looks out of a house badly damaged by a firebomb attack by suspected Jewish extremists in the Palestinian village of Duma in the West Bank, July 31, 2015(photo credit: REUTERS)
Attempts by far-right activist detainees and their attorneys to smear the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) over its investigation into the Duma deadly arson attack are continuing, the agency said Thursday. t added that such tactics are aimed at distracting attention from the crimes of a fanatical Jewish terrorist organization, seeking the overthrow of the Israeli state to establish a fundamentalist monarchy that would expel non-Jews from the land.The Shin Bet is investigating a Jewish terrorist organization, whose members “are being interrogated currently, which is behind severe attacks motivated by an extreme anti-Zionist ideology. This organization continued to carry out attacks after the arson attack in Duma [which murdered Palestinian parents and their infant son], and they saw that attack as something to be emulated,” the security agency said this week.Terror attack in DumaThe terrorist organization seeks to overthrow the State of Israel through violent acts, including murdering innocent Palestinians, igniting a rebellion to institute a king, undermining relations between Israel and other states, as well as expelling non-Jews from the land and harming minorities.The goal of the investigation is to “uncover the organization and thwart future attacks,” the Shin Bet said. The organization is being investigated “in accordance with the professional and legal standards that are acceptable for thwarting organizations that plot severe future attacks,” said the security agency.Claims by the lawyers of the suspects in custody that the Shin Bet “sexually harassed” suspects, struck their genitals, kicked, spat or electrocuted them, or that one of the suspects attempted suicide, are all categorically false, the Shin Bet affirmed.“All of these claims are false and have no connection to reality,” it added.The goal of such lies is to try and prevent the Shin Bet from carrying out its job by disrupting the investigation and harming the agency’s image, it said. “Extreme-right-wing activists and their lawyers are trying to distract the public and legal attention from severe acts of terrorism committed by the said organization, and shift it to the legitimacy of an investigation to uncover their acts,” the Shin Bet said.The agency added that the investigation is under the full legal supervision of the attorney general, the state prosecution, other lawyers accompanying the case and the courts, which have hosted over 100 meetings regarding the suspects in custody.A second breakthrough was made earlier this week in the investigation into the deadly July arson attack, the agency said.“The Shin Bet confirms that in recent days, there has been progress in the investigation into the Duma terrorist attack. All other details pertaining to the investigation are under a gag order,” the Shin Bet stated.
On December 3, the agency said that a number of Israeli youths arrested recently by security forces are being investigated “in the context of concrete suspicions” related to the attack.Earlier this month, the Shin Bet issued its first detailed denial in response to claims of torture made by lawyers representing the Jewish suspects.“Terrorist attacks carried out by the organization led to, among others, the murder of three innocent Palestinians, and as a result, contributed to instability in the region, and worsened the security situation,” the Shin Bet said.