The Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court extended by one day the detention of a suspect who submitted a request invoking “din rodef,” the Biblical law allowing the killing of someone who is attempting to murder another person, against Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, and prohibited the publication of his name.
At the start of the hearing, a police representative stated: “The suspect went to Rabbi Yosef’s home seeking to speak with him. When he was refused, he handed over a letter in which he expressed his desire to murder the Attorney General. The address is on the wall. Computers and mobile phones were seized in his possession, and we want to check if others are involved.”
The suspect’s lawyer, Idan Botbol, asked: “Are there indications he tried to contact the Attorney General directly?” The police representative replied: “No. The suspect explicitly stated in his interrogation that he was seeking permission to kill her.”
Towards the end of the hearing, Judge Miriam Cherka said: “The suspect did not approach an obscure rabbi. It’s possible he only wanted to frighten the Attorney General.”
The suspect, a Jerusalem resident, was arrested yesterday following a letter found near his home containing a threat to murder Baharav-Miara. The letter included a request to Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef to issue a “din rodef” ruling permitting the Attorney General’s killing: “The mingling masses desecrate heaven in their actions against the world of Torah. I am willing to kill the Attorney General if I receive consent from three of the leading rabbis. Without consent, I will not do it.”
In a letter sent to Police Commissioner Danni Levy, on behalf of the Director-General of the Ministry of Religious Services Yehuda Avidan, it was stated: “I received an urgent message from the office of the Chief Rabbi of Israel, Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef. The Rabbi’s office warned of a threat that appeared real and could endanger the life of the Attorney General. Upon receiving this declaration of intent, the Chief Rabbi instructed me to urgently forward the information for your immediate handling. Under the guidance of Minister Yariv Levin, I was requested to act immediately with the relevant law enforcement authorities.”