A7News: 'Horrifying that suspected rapist might return to the school'

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Tuesday, Jun. 25 '19, כ"ב בסיון תשע"ט





HEADLINES:
1. 'HORRIFYING THAT SUSPECTED RAPIST MIGHT RETURN TO THE SCHOOL'
2. SUSPECTED RAPIST OF 7-YEAR-OLD GIRL FREED
3. WATCH: JOHN BOLTON ON SECURITY MEETING IN JERUSALEM
4. SMOTRICH: HERE'S WHY OTZMA CANDIDATE ISN'T AN MK
5. ADVERTISE ON ARUTZ SHEVA – REACH HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS WORLDWIDE
6. BRITISH YOUTH THREATENS TO BLOW UP PLANE AT BEN GURION AIRPORT
7. SUSPECT IN RAPE OF 7-YEAR-OLD RELEASED - INDICTMENT NULLIFIED
8. MAJOR ISRAELI CITY INAUGURATES 'TRUMP SQUARE'


1. 'HORRIFYING THAT SUSPECTED RAPIST MIGHT RETURN TO THE SCHOOL'
by Arutz Sheva Staff

Attorney Yehuda Fried, who is representing the 7-year-old rape victim and her family, responded Tuesday to the alleged rapist's expected release.

On Tuesday morning, prosecutors dropped the case against 46-year-old Mahmoud Nazmi Abed Alhamid Katusa, a resident of the Palestinian Authority town of Deir Qaddis, near Modi'in Illit.

Katusa was indicted last week, but questions arose regarding whether the child's identification of him could be relied upon.

"The possibility that the rapist will walk free frightens me," Fried told 103FM Radio. "The possibility that he will return to working in the school is horrifying. We will do everything we can to change the decision."

"Last night, at midnight, the family received a notification that the interrogation of the girl yesterday, which took several hours, helped to bolster the proofs. From what they said, the girl was raped and Katusa is the suspect. We were sure that the process would continue, but this morning the indictment was canceled. I can't understand it."


2. SUSPECTED RAPIST OF 7-YEAR-OLD GIRL FREED
by Arutz Sheva Staff

📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/265075

Mahmoud Katusa, the suspect in the abduction and rape of a seven-year-old Israeli girl, was released from Ofer military prison northwest of Jerusalem Tuesday afternoon, following a decision by prosecutors to withdraw an indictment against him.

Upon his release from prison, Katusa was greeted by friends and family, some of whom waved PLO flags and yelled "Allahu Akhbar".

"They made up things about me," said Katusa. "I'm an innocent man. The police can say whatever they want."

Anwar Katusa, the suspect's brother, met Mahmoud outside of Ofer prison.

"Thank God the truth has come out. Our hearts are in pain over what happened to this girl, but the truth is that Mahmoud didn't do it. Catch the person who did."

On Tuesday, army prosecutors announced that they lacked sufficient evidence to push forward with a trial, and would withdraw the indictment filed against 46-year-old Mahmoud Katusa for the rape of a seven-year-old girl.

"This is a sad day," said Katusa's defense attorney, Nasahf Darwish, "but on the other hand it is also a happy day, since an innocent man is being freed."

"We identify with the girl and her family. My client was not involved – either directly or indirectly – with the story here."

But the announcement by army prosecutors Tuesday did not clear Katusa in the case.

While acknowledging that they lacked sufficient evidence to take the case to trial, prosecutors wrote in the announcement Tuesday that investigators "believe there is evidence that the girl was sexually assaulted, and there is an evidentiary basis…pointing to Katusa's involvement in the assault."

A resident of the Palestinian Authority town of Deir Qaddis, near the haredi city of Modi'in Illit, Katusa has been in custody since May 1st.

Last week, army prosecutors filed an indictment against Katusa, following a lengthy investigation, during which Katusa failed a polygraph test.

Katusa, who had worked both as a maintenance man at a school in a haredi city near Modi'in, and as a construction worker in the same city, was arrested after being accused of abducting a seven-year-old girl from her school, where Katusa worked, carrying her off to a nearby house Katusa was renovating, and raping her.

The indictment said that at least two other Arab workers helped Katusa commit the rape, by holding the victim's arms and legs.

Later, the victim identified Katusa as the perpetrator, pointing him out to a teacher.

Question arouse shortly after the indictment was filed, however, regarding the veracity of the child's identification of Katusa as the perpetrator.

The case lacked physical evidence, due in part to the family's decision not to immediately report the matter to police, and investigators say the victim may have been led by her mother to identify Katusa as the perpetrator.

Despite Katusa having failed a polygraph test during the initial investigation, prior to the indictment, a major discovery at the victim's home this week changed the prosecution's position regarding the indictment, Israeli media outlets reported Monday night.


3. WATCH: JOHN BOLTON ON SECURITY MEETING IN JERUSALEM
by Arutz Sheva Staff

📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/265073


4. SMOTRICH: HERE'S WHY OTZMA CANDIDATE ISN'T AN MK
by Arutz Sheva Staff

Transportation Minister Bezalel Smotrich (United Right) on Tuesday morning responded to Otzma Yehudit's Itamar Ben-Gvir, who complained that the United Right's Jewish Home faction did not keep its agreement with the party's Otzma Yehudit faction.

Earlier on Tuesday, Otzma Yehudit announced its decision to split from the United Right, which until then had included the Jewish Home, National Union, and Otzma Yehudit parties.

Part of the parties' agreement had been that when a Jewish Home candidate was appointed minister, he would apply the Norwegian Law, stepping down as MK to allow an Otzma candidate to become a Knesset member. This, however, did not happen.

"Let's start with the obvious: Agreements need to be kept," Smotrich said. "There isn't and won't be any argument about that. If I were able, I would have immediately done everything to get Itamar into the Knesset. Itamar is a friend, he's a talented person who can do a lot, and he deserves it and so do Otzma voters. But to our great dismay, this is simply not possible at the moment. I looked into it, I tried, but it simply is impossible."

"If a government would have been formed, the Norwegian Law would have been applied within a week and Rabbi Rafi [Peretz] and I would have resigned as Knesset members and allowed our friend Itamar Ben-Gvir and Orit Strock to take our places, as we agreed.

"The Norwegian Law passed during the 20th Knesset as a temporary Law, and therefore must be passed again after the 21st Knesset was sworn in.

"But this government is a temporary government, and we cannot apply the Norwegian Law in it. Despite this, at Itamar's request, I investigated the possibility of resigning from the Knesset in the usual fashion in order to allow him to enter. But this is not legally possible. According to Basic Law: The Government, during a temporary government, the Prime Minister is only allowed to appoint Knesset members to be ministers. So, if we resign from the Knesset, we will cease being ministers, and that, of course, is illogical and not what the agreement asks.

"I explained this to our dear friends in Otzma, as well as to other friends who inquired about this issue out of sincere concern.

"It is unnecessary to state that the National Union's commitment to the union with Otzma Yehudit still stands. I like Itamar and the other Otzma members. We will continue in this path, and G-d willing in the next Knesset we will be even larger.

"On the basis of this union we will, G-d willing, join with even more people, and as soon as possible, so that we can reach the next elections and maximize our political power. We will all benefit from this, and the Jewish nation, especially, will benefit from it."



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6. BRITISH YOUTH THREATENS TO BLOW UP PLANE AT BEN GURION AIRPORT
by Arutz Sheva Staff

18 British youths were taken off a British Airways flight from Israel to London after the captain refused to fly them when one of them threatened to blow up the aircraft.

The participants participated in a private event in Israel. After boarding the plane, one of them announced that he would blow up the plane.

The captain updated the management of the British airline and was instructed to take the youths off the plane.

A security team was dispatched to the area, which carried out inspections of passengers and aircraft.

The baggage of the passengers was removed from the plane, which took off for London a few minutes later. The young men remained in the terminal.


7. SUSPECT IN RAPE OF 7-YEAR-OLD RELEASED - INDICTMENT NULLIFIED
by David Rosenberg

Prosecutors dropped the indictment against a Palestinian Authority resident accused of abducting and raping a seven-year-old in a haredi town near Modi'in.

According to a statement released Tuesday by prosecutors, the suspect, Mahmoud Katusa, will be freed, and the indictment filed against him last Sunday dropped.

"After additional examinations of the material in the investigation, the chief army prosecutor…found that the evidentiary basis for the indictment does not satisfy the requirement of having a 'reasonable chance of leading to a conviction'. As such, in keeping with the court's instructions, the criminal proceedings cannot be continued, and the indictment must be withdrawn, and Katusa released from arrest."

Despite the decision to release Katusa and withdraw the indictment, investigators said the probe would continue, focusing both on Katusa and "other directions".

"The police investigation will continue and intensify, both in connection with Katusa as well as in other directions."

"As soon as the investigation has an evidentiary basis for submitting a new indictment against Katusa or others, it will be done."

Nashef Darwish, attorney of Mahmoud Katusa
Yonatan Sindel/Flash90
The bombshell announcement came Tuesday morning, following new revelations in the case, which first went public last Sunday.

Last week, army prosecutors filed an indictment against 46-year-old Mahmoud Katusa, a resident of the Palestinian Authority town of Deir Qaddis, near Modi'in Illit.

Katusa, who had worked both as a maintenance man at a school in a haredi city near Modi'in, and as a construction worker in the same city, was arrested on May 1st, after being accused of abducting a seven-year-old girl from her school, where Katusa worked, carrying her off to a nearby house Katusa was renovating, and raping her.

The indictment said that at least two other Arab workers helped Katusa commit the rape, by holding the victim's arms and legs.

Later, the victim identified Katusa as the perpetrator, pointing him out to a teacher.

Question arouse shortly after the indictment was filed, however, regarding the veracity of the child's identification of Katusa as the perpetrator.

The case lacked physical evidence, due in part to the family's decision not to immediately report the matter to police, and investigators say the victim may have been led by her mother to identify Katusa as the perpetrator.

Despite Katusa having failed a polygraph test during the initial investigation, prior to the indictment, a major discovery at the victim's home this week changed the prosecution's position regarding the indictment, Israeli media outlets reported Monday night.


8. MAJOR ISRAELI CITY INAUGURATES 'TRUMP SQUARE'
by Gary Willig

The city of Petah Tikvah in central Israel will name a city square after US President Donald Trump, the municipality announced Monday.

'Trump Square' will be inaugurated in a special ceremony on the night of July 3. The ceremony will be held on in the presence of Mayor Rami Greenberg, representatives of the American Embassy and Knesset representatives.

Petah Tikvah Mayor Rami Greenberg said: "The State of Israel has not had a sympathetic and supportive president than US President Donald Trump. We appreciate and appreciate his support for the State of Israel and its residents and it is fitting that a central square in the fourth largest city in the State of Israel be named after him."

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu sent a letter to Mayor Greenberg in support of the decision.

"President Trump is a true friend of the State of Israel. During his tenure, he has demonstrated uncompromising commitment to ensuring our security and our future - standing firm against the Iranian threat, the decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, the transfer of the American embassy to Jerusalem and recognition of Israel's sovereignty ... The fact that President Trump is being honored in Petah Tikvah is of great importance: The establishment of Petah Tikva, the mother of the moshavot, in 1878, is considered a pioneering act that paved the way for the redemption of the land. The founders of the colony knew many difficulties, but they did not give up. And their stubbornness paid off - as the years passed Petah Tikva established itself Its status as a city and mother in Israel, whose development has not stopped."