Israel Hayom - January 17, 2013

Publication: Israel Hayom
Type: Online
Date: January 17, 2013
Country: Israel
Reporter: Edna Adato
Title: 'Jewish terrorist' convicted of series of crimes
Article: link

'Jewish terrorist' convicted of series of crimes
 

Jack Teitel convicted of two murders and one attempted murder, aggravated assault, planting bombs and incitement in printed materials • During trial, Teitel shouts at the judges, "This brothel has no legitimacy to judge me. I only accept the judgment of the Torah. God is king."

Jack Teitel, a U.S.-born Israeli Orthodox Jew dubbed "the Jewish terrorist," was convicted of two counts of murder, one of attempted murder and a series of other charges in the Jerusalem Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.

Teitel, a resident of the Shvut Rachel settlement in Samaria, was found guilty of having murdered a taxi driver, Samir Belbisi, in Jerusalem, and a shepherd, Issa Jibran, near Susya, a settlement just south of the Hebron Hills, some 15 years ago.

Teitel was also convicted of attempted murder for having planting explosives inside a Purim gift for the Ortiz family in Ariel. A boy in the Ortiz family was seriously injured in the incident. Teitel believed that the family’s father was a "leader of messianic Jews."

He was also convicted of aggravated assault for having planted a pipe bomb near the house of Israel Prize laureate Professor Zeev Sternhell in Jerusalem. Sternhell who was injured in the attack, is an expert on fascism and a writer for the newspaper Haaretz.

Teitel was also accused of printing and distributing leaflets encouraging the killing of gays, whom he dubbed "Sodomites." In November 2006, he planted an improvised explosive device, which was discovered and detonated by an Israel Police bomb squad. He also planted a bomb near the Beit Jamal Monastery outside Beit Shemesh, apparently after discovering that the monastery conducted missionary work. The explosive detonated and injured a tractor driver from Beit Jala who was working nearby. In May 2007, Teitel also planted a bomb under a police car in Jerusalem. According to the indictment, Teitel's intention was to send a message to the police not to allow the Gay Pride parade.

At one point during the trial, Teitel shouted at the judges, saying, "This brothel has no legitimacy to judge me. I only accept the judgment of the Torah. God is king."

Teitel's sentence will be handed down on Feb. 13. His attorneys, Asher Oyahon and Michael Ironi, said Teitel was mentally ill and that he believed he was carrying out his crimes "at the behest of an angel."

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