Israeli court releases Palestinian Islamic leader to house arrest, forbids him from accessing internet
HAIFA, Monday, May 24, 2021 (WAFA) - Adalah – The Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel said Haifa Magistrates Court ordered the release of Sheikh Kamal al-Khateb, who was arrested by Israeli police special forces 10 days earlier in a violent raid on his hometown of Kufr Qanna that left dozens of local Palestinian residents wounded, some of them seriously.
At today s hearing, Israeli police requested that Khatib s detention be extended in order to obtain permission from the Israeli attorney general to file an indictment for incitement offenses.
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Despite the initial warrant mentioning Sheikh Kamal Khatib s membership of a terrorist organization, no offense other than incitement was mentioned by the prosecution s statement on Monday.
Some 200 people demonstrated at the entrance to the Haifa Magistrate’s Court to protest his arrest, claiming it was politically motivated. Khatib’s driver was arrested during the demonstration. Among the demonstrators were several public figures, including Umm al-Fahm Mayor Samir Mahameed.
Khatib, who denies all allegations against him, was also remanded until Thursday, after the plaintiff argued that there was reasonable basis for fearing that the defendant will endanger public peace. However, the court ruled that if no indictment is filed against Khatib by Thursday, he will be released without restrictions.