Two additional detainees in Gush Etzion fire bomb case

Thursday, September 13, 20:28 Two brothers, minors aged 13 and 17, residents of the community of Bat Ayin in the Gush Etzion region, were detained today in Jerusalem, Honenu reports. The two brothers, who were with their father at the time, were taken out of their car, detained and taken to the Central Unit of the Yehuda and Shomron Police Station in Ma’ale Adumim. They are currently being interrogated on suspicion of involvement with the fire bomb (Molotov cocktail) thrown at an Arab taxi approximately one month ago in Gush Etzion.
This afternoon the father and the older brother picked up the younger brother from the yeshiva at which he studies in Jerusalem. The father related the incident to Honenu. According to him a short time after his younger son got into the car he noticed that an unmarked car was following him. After they passed two traffic lights the unmarked car passed them and blocked their lane of traffic. Several plain-clothes police detectives got out of the unmarked car, approached the father, presented their police badges and demanded that the father and his sons present their identification cards.
After they showed their identification cards the detectives informed the father that his two children are detained and being taken to the Central Unit of the Yehuda and Shomron Police Station in Ma’ale Adumim. In accordance with the law which states that a minor is entitled to the presence of a parent or other adult, the father followed the policemen to the station. At the station the policemen informed the youths that they are suspected of involvement with the fire bomb incident on Route 60 near Bat Ayin.
Approximately one month ago a fire bomb was thrown at an Arab taxi driving on Route 60 near Bat Ayin. The six passengers of the the taxi were injured to varying degrees and evacuated to hospital. The same night GSS forces raided the homes of several youths in Bat Ayin warning them about involvement with illegal activities. A week later three of those youths, aged 12-13, were detained. The police claimed that they had evidence linking the youths to the incident and estimated that indictments would be filed within a short period of time. After five days of remand the three youths were released. As of now the police have not announced any intention of filing indictments against any of them.
As stated above, two youths were detained today on suspicion of involvement with the same incident. Honenu attorney Adi Kedar, who is handling the case, reported from the police station that the two detainees gave a solid alibi and that their father supports it.
Honenu reports in response that, “The detention of the youths surprised us because according to police announcements it was clear that the perpetrators had been apprehended three weeks ago. We hope that the police will be able to put the matter to rest quickly without violating the rights of the minors, as they had during the previous detention.”