Indictment of Duma Suspect on Unrelated Charge

One of the detainees in the Duma arson case was the subject of an intention to indict filed on Monday by state prosecutors, but not for involvement in the killings last July.

Instead, after being held by the Shin Bet for 29 days, he will be prosecuted for an alleged attack on an Arab youth two years ago, completely unrelated to the Duma case.

He was set to be released from prison, according to Israel Radio, though no other details were made public.

Families of the suspects in the Duma case released a statement to Arutz Sheva on Monday protesting the continued detention of their sons.

“We, parents of the youths detained on suspicion of the murder in Duma village, condemn the act of murder but are convinced that our children were not involved,” the parents said.

In their statement, the detainees’ families charged that “hasty” arrests were made as the “result of public pressure” following July’s attack.

They said “severe torture” had been used on the youths “so that they would confess to a crime that they didn’t commit.” They are demanding a Knesset probe of the handling of the case.

Also on Monday, hundreds of people protested against the alleged torture of the detainees outside the Petah Tikva Magistrate’s Court. The Shin Bet has denied the allegations.

Police cordoned off adjacent streets to traffic and the right-wing legal aid organization Honenu reported that two demonstrators were arrested.