Israeli court oks administrative detention of top wanted Jewish extremist

An Israel court authorized on Sunday to place a top wanted far-right Jewish activist on administrative detention for his alleged involvement in hate crimes against Palestinians.

The court in the Israeli central city of Lod authorized the administrative detention order against Meir Ettinger, a 24-year-old extremist settler from the West Bank, for his role in planning attacks on Palestinians and churches.

The controversial measure, usually used against Palestinian security prisoners, allows the authorities to incarcerate suspects without trial for a period of six months, which could be extended repeatedly, even the suspect does not have access to evidence against him.

The original decree to place Ettinger under administrative detention was issued by Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon on Aug. 15, as the Israeli authorities declared a "crackdown on Jewish terrorists" after a firebomb attack on the Dawabshe family home in the Palestinian village of Duma left three family members dead and another severely injured.

The attackers were not captured, but Israeli security services believe Jewish extremists were behind the attack.

Ettinger heads a group of Jewish ultra-nationalists who planned attacks against Palestinians and vandalized churches. Other extreme Jewish activists were also detained and questioned around the same time of Ettinger's arrest.

The court's decision on Sunday gave the final approval to that decree and allowed the Shin Bet Security Agency to place the suspect under detention for the next six months.

"The suspect's actions and the organization he led shows that he imposes a risk to the security of the state and the wellbeing of the public," Judge Avraham Tal wrote in his decision.

Ettinger's lawyer said that his client's arrest is a "political" one, aiming at pleasing the public view in Israel and around the world rather than an arrest with a legal basis. Endit