25 aug 2019
Jamal Canaani is accused of trying to murder his friends' younger gay sibling
The siblings in their 20s from northern town of Tamra allegedly stabbed their 16-year-old brother outside LGBTQ youth hostel in Tel Aviv; the two surrendered to the police last month after four-day manhunt
Two men from the northern town of Tamra have been indicted for the stabbing of their 16-year-old brother outside a youth hostel for LGBTQ teens in Tel Aviv. A third man - a friend of the other two suspects - was also charged.
The names of the two brothers, aged 23 and 27, are under a gag order so as to protect the identity of their younger sibling who is a minor. The friend was named as 24-year-old Jamal Canaani. All three have been charged with conspiracy to commit murder and attempted murder.
The teen was stabbed on the doorstep of the hostel on July 26 and was taken to hospital by the Magen David Adom rescue service. The hospital rushed him into surgery due to the multiple injuries he sustained.
Before being transported to the hospital, the victim told the paramedics it was his brother who stabbed him.
Both brothers turned themselves over to the police at the end of July, after a four-day manhunt.
The two brothers are also accused of injuring their brother under aggravated circumstances and issuing threats against him regarding a past event.
According to the indictment filed by Dea Ben-Assa from the Tel Aviv Prosecutor's Office, one of the teen's brothers discovered he was in a relationship with another male and threatened him.
The charge sheet states that the older brother told his younger sibling, "nobody knows it was me who shot our cousin's house, I'll shoot you and no one will know it was me," while pressing a knife to his throat. He also allegedly claimed, "like I killed other people, I don't have a problem killing you."
The indictment also claims that, "the two brothers beat the boy in front of their mother and another one of their brothers, with fists, kicks and slaps all over his body until he fell unconscious and suffered bleeding and injuries to his lips. His family tried to convert the boy's sexual preferences, sent him to a psychologist and limited his time outside of the house.
Furthermore, after the teen made a police complaint in May 2019 after the attack, the accused found him, shoved him in the car with the rest of the family inside and took him home so he wouldn't be able to use law enforcement to escape them.
"In June 2019 after repeated attempts by his family to change him and his sexual preferences, and facing real immediate danger to his life from his brothers, the teen moved to the Beit Dror youth hostel in Tel Aviv (which houses young people disowned for their sexual preferences).
After his arrival, the court decided to house the teen in the youth hostel under a court order, and he was given a state-appointed legal guardian."
Certain individuals in the hostel say the teen stayed there for about a month and during that time was under constant threat from his brothers. The same individuals also claimed that welfare officers were aware of the situation. Even so, the teen has stayed in touch with a few family members.
The siblings in their 20s from northern town of Tamra allegedly stabbed their 16-year-old brother outside LGBTQ youth hostel in Tel Aviv; the two surrendered to the police last month after four-day manhunt
Two men from the northern town of Tamra have been indicted for the stabbing of their 16-year-old brother outside a youth hostel for LGBTQ teens in Tel Aviv. A third man - a friend of the other two suspects - was also charged.
The names of the two brothers, aged 23 and 27, are under a gag order so as to protect the identity of their younger sibling who is a minor. The friend was named as 24-year-old Jamal Canaani. All three have been charged with conspiracy to commit murder and attempted murder.
The teen was stabbed on the doorstep of the hostel on July 26 and was taken to hospital by the Magen David Adom rescue service. The hospital rushed him into surgery due to the multiple injuries he sustained.
Before being transported to the hospital, the victim told the paramedics it was his brother who stabbed him.
Both brothers turned themselves over to the police at the end of July, after a four-day manhunt.
The two brothers are also accused of injuring their brother under aggravated circumstances and issuing threats against him regarding a past event.
According to the indictment filed by Dea Ben-Assa from the Tel Aviv Prosecutor's Office, one of the teen's brothers discovered he was in a relationship with another male and threatened him.
The charge sheet states that the older brother told his younger sibling, "nobody knows it was me who shot our cousin's house, I'll shoot you and no one will know it was me," while pressing a knife to his throat. He also allegedly claimed, "like I killed other people, I don't have a problem killing you."
The indictment also claims that, "the two brothers beat the boy in front of their mother and another one of their brothers, with fists, kicks and slaps all over his body until he fell unconscious and suffered bleeding and injuries to his lips. His family tried to convert the boy's sexual preferences, sent him to a psychologist and limited his time outside of the house.
Furthermore, after the teen made a police complaint in May 2019 after the attack, the accused found him, shoved him in the car with the rest of the family inside and took him home so he wouldn't be able to use law enforcement to escape them.
"In June 2019 after repeated attempts by his family to change him and his sexual preferences, and facing real immediate danger to his life from his brothers, the teen moved to the Beit Dror youth hostel in Tel Aviv (which houses young people disowned for their sexual preferences).
After his arrival, the court decided to house the teen in the youth hostel under a court order, and he was given a state-appointed legal guardian."
Certain individuals in the hostel say the teen stayed there for about a month and during that time was under constant threat from his brothers. The same individuals also claimed that welfare officers were aware of the situation. Even so, the teen has stayed in touch with a few family members.
Ohad Hizki
Ohad Hizki, the CEO of Aguda - The Israeli National LGBT Task Force said: ''We welcome the indictment and look forward to seeing the full extent of the law pursued. These days, when there is such wild sedition against our community in Israel, sedition that also comes from those in government and from those in other hateful political parties, the violence won’t stop.
"No girl or boy deserves to be stabbed just because of his or her sexual preferences and orientation. We all have the right to live our lives in security and without fear, we will continue our fight until we have full equality of rights, we stand with the boy in these trying times."
Ohad Hizki, the CEO of Aguda - The Israeli National LGBT Task Force said: ''We welcome the indictment and look forward to seeing the full extent of the law pursued. These days, when there is such wild sedition against our community in Israel, sedition that also comes from those in government and from those in other hateful political parties, the violence won’t stop.
"No girl or boy deserves to be stabbed just because of his or her sexual preferences and orientation. We all have the right to live our lives in security and without fear, we will continue our fight until we have full equality of rights, we stand with the boy in these trying times."
21 aug 2019
Carmel Mauda with children at her former nursery
The parents of the victims shout 'life in prison' as the hearing is halted in order to calm the enraged relatives who'd seen their children horrifically abused at the nursery run by Carmel Mauda, who was arrested after discovery of surveillance footage
The kindergarten teacher, charged last month with 18 counts of toddler abuse, will remain in custody until the end of her trial, a judge ruled Wednesday.
Carmel Mauda, 25, who owned a private nursery “Baby Love” in the central city of Rosh Haayin, was arrested in June on suspicion of child abuse after police obtained footage of her spanking children with towels, forcing them up against the wall for hours on end, strapping them to chairs and feeding them their own vomit.
Mauda arrived at the Lod District Court on Wednesday morning for a hearing in the case. The enraged parents of the mistreated children began shouting abuse at the 25-year-old and demanded the former nursery teacher be sentenced to a life in prison.
Judge Hagai Tarsi could not continue the hearing and had to leave the courtroom at some point as the parents kept shouting “life in prison” at the defendant. The proceedings resumed once the atmosphere in the courtroom calmed down.
"This is a young woman whose conduct over the years appears to have been normal, but she has been charged with a very serious crime,” said the judge. “An 18-count indictment describing a series of grave abuses. She has systematically harmed the toddlers without having a semblance of humanity."
Once the judge ruled Mauda will remain in custody, the courtroom erupted with the cries of joy from the devastated parents, who began cheering and applauding the decision.
A representative from the prosecution, that recommended the former nursery teacher remain in custody until the end of the trial, called the case “exceptional in its severity.”
“This case has a large number of victims against whom very serious crimes have been committed. We believe releasing her poses a risk not only to minors but to other people as well," the prosecutor said in a statement.
"The arrest report was meant to appease public anger and carry out the Town Square Trial,” said Mauda’s lawyer, Efraim Damri. "The defendant understands the pain felt by the parents and regrets her actions."
Mauda’s home - where the nursery was run - has been burned down at the beginning of July in what appears to have been an arson attack.
The police arrested an 18-year-old man from the West Bank on suspicion of setting fire to the 25-year-old’s property.
The parents of the victims shout 'life in prison' as the hearing is halted in order to calm the enraged relatives who'd seen their children horrifically abused at the nursery run by Carmel Mauda, who was arrested after discovery of surveillance footage
The kindergarten teacher, charged last month with 18 counts of toddler abuse, will remain in custody until the end of her trial, a judge ruled Wednesday.
Carmel Mauda, 25, who owned a private nursery “Baby Love” in the central city of Rosh Haayin, was arrested in June on suspicion of child abuse after police obtained footage of her spanking children with towels, forcing them up against the wall for hours on end, strapping them to chairs and feeding them their own vomit.
Mauda arrived at the Lod District Court on Wednesday morning for a hearing in the case. The enraged parents of the mistreated children began shouting abuse at the 25-year-old and demanded the former nursery teacher be sentenced to a life in prison.
Judge Hagai Tarsi could not continue the hearing and had to leave the courtroom at some point as the parents kept shouting “life in prison” at the defendant. The proceedings resumed once the atmosphere in the courtroom calmed down.
"This is a young woman whose conduct over the years appears to have been normal, but she has been charged with a very serious crime,” said the judge. “An 18-count indictment describing a series of grave abuses. She has systematically harmed the toddlers without having a semblance of humanity."
Once the judge ruled Mauda will remain in custody, the courtroom erupted with the cries of joy from the devastated parents, who began cheering and applauding the decision.
A representative from the prosecution, that recommended the former nursery teacher remain in custody until the end of the trial, called the case “exceptional in its severity.”
“This case has a large number of victims against whom very serious crimes have been committed. We believe releasing her poses a risk not only to minors but to other people as well," the prosecutor said in a statement.
"The arrest report was meant to appease public anger and carry out the Town Square Trial,” said Mauda’s lawyer, Efraim Damri. "The defendant understands the pain felt by the parents and regrets her actions."
Mauda’s home - where the nursery was run - has been burned down at the beginning of July in what appears to have been an arson attack.
The police arrested an 18-year-old man from the West Bank on suspicion of setting fire to the 25-year-old’s property.
20 aug 2019
'A kid approached me and said, 'are you her mother? Your daughter gets raped all the time ' says mother, blaming police for dragging investigation; all teens were released, placed under house arrest
Israeli police arrested eight teens aged 14-16 from the Central Galilee region in Israel's Northern District on suspicion of raping an 11-year-old girl on multiple occasions.
The teens' arrest was extended once, and they were later released and placed under house arrest.
According to police suspicion, the acts attributed to the youths occurred in April this year.
The girl's mother said that the police dragged the interrogation for a long time; the police, however, said in response that the delay was partially caused because the girl was reluctant to cooperate with them during the questioning.
The girl was interrogated several times by a child protective investigator and material collected from her cellphone revealed thousands of correspondences with the boys involved in the case.
Among other things, it turned out that in some cases, the girl lied to the boys about her age, saying she was 15.
The mother said she had noticed changes in her daughter's behavior around the Pesach school break, and that she approached welfare bodies and the police a number of times as a result.
"My daughter changed overnight. I couldn't understand where is the good girl that I raised, and why all of a sudden she is running away from home and talks to me aggressively when she demands to go out with her friends," the mother said.
The mother added that at one opportunity when the girl had run away, she joined the police and they found her in a nearby park.
"In the presence of the policemen a kid approached me and said, 'are you her mother? Your daughter gets raped all the time.'"
At this point the mother said that she filed a complaint at the police station. She continued to learn about the abuse that her daughter had endured for three weeks when she spoke to some of the girl's friends.
The girl was taken by welfare authorities to an emergency center under a court order and was taken to a medical examination only two months after.
The Israel Police said in response that, "instantly when the report came in a police investigation was opened," and added that due to the sensitive nature of the case and the age of all those involved, the investigation is conducted "with the due sensitivity."
Israeli police arrested eight teens aged 14-16 from the Central Galilee region in Israel's Northern District on suspicion of raping an 11-year-old girl on multiple occasions.
The teens' arrest was extended once, and they were later released and placed under house arrest.
According to police suspicion, the acts attributed to the youths occurred in April this year.
The girl's mother said that the police dragged the interrogation for a long time; the police, however, said in response that the delay was partially caused because the girl was reluctant to cooperate with them during the questioning.
The girl was interrogated several times by a child protective investigator and material collected from her cellphone revealed thousands of correspondences with the boys involved in the case.
Among other things, it turned out that in some cases, the girl lied to the boys about her age, saying she was 15.
The mother said she had noticed changes in her daughter's behavior around the Pesach school break, and that she approached welfare bodies and the police a number of times as a result.
"My daughter changed overnight. I couldn't understand where is the good girl that I raised, and why all of a sudden she is running away from home and talks to me aggressively when she demands to go out with her friends," the mother said.
The mother added that at one opportunity when the girl had run away, she joined the police and they found her in a nearby park.
"In the presence of the policemen a kid approached me and said, 'are you her mother? Your daughter gets raped all the time.'"
At this point the mother said that she filed a complaint at the police station. She continued to learn about the abuse that her daughter had endured for three weeks when she spoke to some of the girl's friends.
The girl was taken by welfare authorities to an emergency center under a court order and was taken to a medical examination only two months after.
The Israel Police said in response that, "instantly when the report came in a police investigation was opened," and added that due to the sensitive nature of the case and the age of all those involved, the investigation is conducted "with the due sensitivity."
19 aug 2019
25-year-old Naama Issachar was on her way back from backpacking in India when the drugs she says she had forgotten in her bag were found during a stopover in Russia
For four months now, 25-year-old Naama Issachar has been imprisoned in Russia for drug smuggling, after nine grams of marijuana were found in her possession on her journey back from India to Israel via Russia.
Issachar's family has been doing everything they can in order to bring her back home and told Ynet about the difficult circumstances that she faces and about the uncertainty they face.
"She flew back from India through Russia, and there, during the security check, they found a certain amount of weed. She was taken to a 24-hour-long arrest and didn't understand what was going on, she didn't even know it was in her bag," said her cousin Meital Lazar.
"Her mother flew there, we have an attorney on the case and we're dealing with the local court, but things are just ridiculous. There are constant debates about extending her remand, but no one is actually on the case, no one asks questions," she added.
Lazar says Naama is doing her best to stay strong, but that the Russian prison is starting to get to her, and that she often cries and wonders what will be of her.
"She is held in prison with local drug dealers, who keep asking her weird things, like 'how much does cocaine cost in Israel? How much does Marijuana cost?' and she just doesn't understand what they want from her," says Lazar.
"We've asked that she will be released for house arrest, and we supplied all the conditions necessary for that, but they said now," she says.
They say she was dealing drugs.
"It was for recreational use. The drugs were found on her and she didn't deny that it was hers. She has been very cooperative with the investigation."
Did you try involving the Foreign Affairs Ministry?
"Yes, another relative and I brought letters to the Foreign Affairs Ministry and to the president's residence. They know all the details but say that they can't help at this time. The Israeli consul in Russia came to her trial, which is a precedent, but it didn't help. It was all over in a few minutes, with no real serious examination of the case."
Were you told behind closed doors that this could be fixed in a non-formal way?
"We weren't successful, no matter what we tried, and we don't understand why. She's being treated like she's one of the biggest criminals in Russia. This is just a regular girl, she came to Israel at the age of 16, served in the IDF as a combat soldier. She was a lone soldier since her mother went back to the U.S. when she was in the army."
So, what is the worst-case scenario?
"She could be trialed for 3-10 years of imprisonment for drug trafficking. We can't find anyone who would be able to help. That's our request — if there's anyone who can help in any way, do it!"
For four months now, 25-year-old Naama Issachar has been imprisoned in Russia for drug smuggling, after nine grams of marijuana were found in her possession on her journey back from India to Israel via Russia.
Issachar's family has been doing everything they can in order to bring her back home and told Ynet about the difficult circumstances that she faces and about the uncertainty they face.
"She flew back from India through Russia, and there, during the security check, they found a certain amount of weed. She was taken to a 24-hour-long arrest and didn't understand what was going on, she didn't even know it was in her bag," said her cousin Meital Lazar.
"Her mother flew there, we have an attorney on the case and we're dealing with the local court, but things are just ridiculous. There are constant debates about extending her remand, but no one is actually on the case, no one asks questions," she added.
Lazar says Naama is doing her best to stay strong, but that the Russian prison is starting to get to her, and that she often cries and wonders what will be of her.
"She is held in prison with local drug dealers, who keep asking her weird things, like 'how much does cocaine cost in Israel? How much does Marijuana cost?' and she just doesn't understand what they want from her," says Lazar.
"We've asked that she will be released for house arrest, and we supplied all the conditions necessary for that, but they said now," she says.
They say she was dealing drugs.
"It was for recreational use. The drugs were found on her and she didn't deny that it was hers. She has been very cooperative with the investigation."
Did you try involving the Foreign Affairs Ministry?
"Yes, another relative and I brought letters to the Foreign Affairs Ministry and to the president's residence. They know all the details but say that they can't help at this time. The Israeli consul in Russia came to her trial, which is a precedent, but it didn't help. It was all over in a few minutes, with no real serious examination of the case."
Were you told behind closed doors that this could be fixed in a non-formal way?
"We weren't successful, no matter what we tried, and we don't understand why. She's being treated like she's one of the biggest criminals in Russia. This is just a regular girl, she came to Israel at the age of 16, served in the IDF as a combat soldier. She was a lone soldier since her mother went back to the U.S. when she was in the army."
So, what is the worst-case scenario?
"She could be trialed for 3-10 years of imprisonment for drug trafficking. We can't find anyone who would be able to help. That's our request — if there's anyone who can help in any way, do it!"
18 aug 2019
Amos Dov Silver in Ukranian custody
The head of drug trafficking network, Amos Dov Silver, arrives at Ben-Gurion Airport after escaping from a Duty-Free shop in Kiev just hours before he was supposed to be extradited; the weed kingpin was apprehended with the help of Israeli authorities after a 2-day manhunt
The founder and manager of the online drug-dealing network Telegrass arrived in Israel on Sunday after being extradited from the Ukraine following a failed escape attempt.
In March, police arrested 42 of the channel's operators - 39 in Israel and three abroad - including Telegrass founder and manager Amos Dov Silver, a U.S. resident who was detained during a visit to Ukraine. Arrests were also made in Germany and the United States.
Silver was taken away in a police vehicle stationed on the runway outside the aircraft. The police said Silver was later transferred to the detectives from Lahav 433 crime unit, which conducted the investigation against Telegrass operators in collaboration with Central Police Unit and Israel Tax Authority's Crime Investigation Unit.
Silver, who escaped shortly before being extradited from Ukraine was arrested on Saturday morning in the city of Uman at the end of a two-day manhunt.
The Ukrainian security services said that three of its members were also arrested on suspicion of helping Silver escape the Boryspil International Airport in Kiev before he was supposed to board the plane to Israel.
Israeli authorities said that Silver was arrested after a "swift and determined" search by the Ukrainian police, in full cooperation with Israeli security services.
Silver was taken to the Kiev airport on Thursday evening immediately after the Supreme Court approved the extradition to Israel. While waiting for his flight, Silver entered a Duty-Free shop and escaped the premises after removing the electronic handcuff from his hand.
The Ukrainian police did not update the Israeli police in real time - and therefore no Israeli representatives were present at the airport.
After being apprehended on Saturday, following a two-day manhunt, Silver claimed that he had been beaten bloody while he was held in custody in Ukraine.
Other suspects in the case arrested over five months ago were indicted for brokering the trafficking of dangerous drugs, drug offenses involving the corruption of minors, obstruction of justice and other felonies.
Senior operators of the network are also accused of money laundering and tax offenses.
The head of drug trafficking network, Amos Dov Silver, arrives at Ben-Gurion Airport after escaping from a Duty-Free shop in Kiev just hours before he was supposed to be extradited; the weed kingpin was apprehended with the help of Israeli authorities after a 2-day manhunt
The founder and manager of the online drug-dealing network Telegrass arrived in Israel on Sunday after being extradited from the Ukraine following a failed escape attempt.
In March, police arrested 42 of the channel's operators - 39 in Israel and three abroad - including Telegrass founder and manager Amos Dov Silver, a U.S. resident who was detained during a visit to Ukraine. Arrests were also made in Germany and the United States.
Silver was taken away in a police vehicle stationed on the runway outside the aircraft. The police said Silver was later transferred to the detectives from Lahav 433 crime unit, which conducted the investigation against Telegrass operators in collaboration with Central Police Unit and Israel Tax Authority's Crime Investigation Unit.
Silver, who escaped shortly before being extradited from Ukraine was arrested on Saturday morning in the city of Uman at the end of a two-day manhunt.
The Ukrainian security services said that three of its members were also arrested on suspicion of helping Silver escape the Boryspil International Airport in Kiev before he was supposed to board the plane to Israel.
Israeli authorities said that Silver was arrested after a "swift and determined" search by the Ukrainian police, in full cooperation with Israeli security services.
Silver was taken to the Kiev airport on Thursday evening immediately after the Supreme Court approved the extradition to Israel. While waiting for his flight, Silver entered a Duty-Free shop and escaped the premises after removing the electronic handcuff from his hand.
The Ukrainian police did not update the Israeli police in real time - and therefore no Israeli representatives were present at the airport.
After being apprehended on Saturday, following a two-day manhunt, Silver claimed that he had been beaten bloody while he was held in custody in Ukraine.
Other suspects in the case arrested over five months ago were indicted for brokering the trafficking of dangerous drugs, drug offenses involving the corruption of minors, obstruction of justice and other felonies.
Senior operators of the network are also accused of money laundering and tax offenses.
