Released Duma suspect
Released Duma suspectHonenu

The Jewish youth held for nearly a month in connection to the deadly Duma arson spoke out Wednesday a day after after his release from Israel Security Agency (ISA or Shin Bet) custody.  

"I didn't understand what they wanted from me," he recounted to Channel 2. "I went into the interrogation room and they started yelling at me, 'We know you did it.' I told them I didn't have anything to do with it and they continued to yell 'murderer' at me."

The minor was arrested along with several other Jewish youths, but he alleges the Shin Bet never asked him about his connection to these suspects, and only tried to extract a confession from him. 

"I was not presented with any evidence or proof, they just shouted, 'thank you, thank you,'" he said. "Little by little they wouldn't let me sleep. The moment I fell asleep, they began to scream. I kept saying I didn't do it and they continued to yell at me to confess."

"They told me 'you're a ticking bomb, that's why we're beating you,'" the minor claimed. "Every time I fell asleep, they grabbed my chin and pushed me with all their might. I felt enormous pain in the neck, like I was about to die - and they continued to say if I didn't confess, they wouldn't leave me [alone]."

"If I fell asleep, even for two minutes, I was immediately woken up with a punch to the stomach or a scream in the ear," he added. "They are lying, there was horrible violence against the detainees."

"I was afraid of being beaten until I confessed - and they they would put me in jail," he admitted. "I said I'd stick to the truth despite the torture, although I think most people would admit to whatever they wanted if they went through what I went through - even I considered it."

Despite his release, the youth remains under house arrest based on his alleged involvement in an unrelated quarrel with Bedouin shepherds two years ago.