Israel’s domestic security service has asked the High Court of Justice for permission to use “moderate physical force” in the interrogation of a Palestinian detainee.
According to the Shin Bet, Islamic Jihad member Muhammad Abdel Aziz Khamadan had “essential” information on a terrorist attack planned for the near future.
Earlier this week, the court issued a temporary ban on the use of physical force until it ruled on a petition submitted by Khamadan.
Originally from a West Bank village in the Ramallah area, Khamadan was deported to Lebanon more than three years ago as part of a mass deportation of Islamic Jihad and Hamas activists by then-Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin.
He was later allowed to return to his home, but has since been detained a number of times by Israeli security forces.
Israeli security forces went on high alert at the end of last month, after receiving warnings that the Islamic Jihad group was planning to carry out a terrorist attack inside Israel.
Security forces believed an Islamic Jihad cell had possibly infiltrated into Israel and was awaiting a green light from its operators.
In the past, the Shin Bet has asked to use moderate physical force in interrogations, stating that some detainees may have knowledge about a pending terrorist attack.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
