Last update - 00:00 12/02/2007
Head of northern Islamic Movement charged with attacking police
By Jonathan Lis, Haaretz Correspondent
The Jerusalem Magistrate's Court on Monday charged the leader of the Islamic Movement's northern branch and four of his supporters with assaulting police officers during an illegal protest at the site of Israeli excavations on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.
Sheikh Ra'ad Salah and his associates are suspected of behaving wildly during the protest and Salah was caught on tape spitting in the face of an officer.
According to the indictment, Salah "instructed the disturbers to sit on the road and refuse to leave." Salah also allegedly attacked an officer and spit in his face while saying "You are racist and murderers, you have no respect.
Police have asked to extend by two months the restrictions put on Salah to keep him 150 meters from the walls of the Old City.
Police Commissioner Moshe Karadi on Sunday instructed authorities to examine whether an investigation could be opened against Salah on the grounds of incitement and rebellion, following his expressed opposition to Israel with regard to the excavation under the Mugrabi Gate.
The court last week placed a restraining order on Salah prohibiting him from approaching the Old City for up to ten days, after the Islamic leaders and his supporters attempted to enter the construction site on Temple Mount.
Salah refused to sign the order and sources in his movement said he is likely to try to enter the Old City area. His associates called the court's decision "arbitrary" and said the ruling was "null and void."
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