Suspected killer of Israeli-American teen asserts his innocence

The suspected killer of Israeli-American teen Dana Bennett asserted his innocence at court on Thursday, in his first public response to the allegations since a gag order on the affair was lifted on Tuesday.

Northern police announced at a press conference Tuesday that Adwan Farhan, the suspect, had confessed to the murder and three others during an investigation. His lawyer later said he had confessed to protect his sister.

Denying the allegations Thursday, Farhan told the Nazareth Magistrates Court that he was aware of the case of Tair Rada, in which the prime suspect, Roman Zadorov, confessed to killing the 13-year-old and later retracted his confession.

Farhan said Zadorov was innocent and that he himself was actually meant to testify in the case.

The court extended Farhan's remand until June 17 and ruled that during the period of his detention he would be put under psychiatric observation.

Farhan is also suspected of three other murders, attempted murder, rape, two attempted kidnappings and other crimes of violence. He is said to have committed his first murder in 1995, when he was 18 - battering a man unconscious and throwing him into the Jordan River.

	Adwan Farhan, the suspected killer of Israeli-American teen Dana Bennett.
	Photo by: (Yaron Kaminsky)