Rashed Abu-Ghanem, the brother and key suspect in the murder of Hamda Abu-Ghanem of Jawarish on Tuesday, who has been in police custody since then, was released from house arrest two months ago for a previous assault against the victim.

The Magistrate's Court judge who released him, ignoring an explicit police request to the contrary, wrote in his decision that Hamda "did not seem to be afraid of him."

Yesterday, the suspect was brought to the same court house, where he was remanded in custody on suspicion of murdering Hamda in order to "protect" family honor. Another relative, Tawfik Abu-Ghanem, is also being held for his alleged role in the murder.

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Two years ago, the police requested that Rashed Abu-Ghanem be held in custody until legal proceedings against him were completed, for allegedly assaulting his sister, then 17.

The prosecution claimed that Rashed felt his sister's behavior was inappropriate, and that he threatened her, "Do you want me to order them to kill you?"

After a few months in prison, the District Court released him to house arrest  but not to his home in Jawarish.

Last October, his attorney asked the court in Ramle to release his client and allow him to return home. The defense lawyer argued that Hamda had made "false allegations" against his client and that shehad "hospitalized herself a number of times for no reason."

The family backed Rashed's claims, saying that Hamda had "psychological problems."

During her appearence at court, Hamda said her brother had not assaulted her. Police maintained that she had been under family pressure to back her brother.

The prosecution insisted that Rashed posed a threat and that he had a criminal record, "which would result in a prison term."

During the two years since Rashed assaulted her, Hamda had lived in shelters for abused women.