Developments in the disappearance and murder case: Rabbi Eliezer Berland, leader of the 'Shuvo Banim' community, was arrested this morning (Monday) inside the prison he entered a week ago - and taken to the Jerusalem Police Headquarters for questioning on suspicion of his involvement in two murders and disappearances that occurred in the Jerusalem area in 1986 and 1990.
His wife Tehila was also detained in the afternoon for questioning in the case. Due to her delay, riots broke out outside her home by members of the "Shuvo Banim" group. So far, one suspect has been arrested.
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Later, hundreds of community members arrived at the Russian Compound station and near the Magistrate's Court. Large police forces are being prepared.
Attorney Naama Elhadad, Rabbi Berland's attorney, told Esti Perez on the B network: "We are feeding off the media. There were no investigators with him. The notice came before they came to request his arrest. I am supposed to know about this in advance, as required by law. This is extremely serious. The timing of his wife's arrest is not coincidental. They could have taken him for questioning while he was under house arrest.".
She added: "For two weeks now we have heard letters that the rabbi is going to be investigated in a murder case, to this day there has been no contact on the subject. Rabbi Berland has no hand or foot in this case, he has no idea what is wanted of him. He is a sick 84-year-old man, there is a feeling that he has become a scapegoat every time something happens in the Shuvo Banim community.".
Just last week, Rabbi Berland was returned to prison to serve 5 months in prison as part of a case in which he was convicted of extortion and fraud.
Haaretz reported last week that, according to estimates from sources familiar with the case, Rabbi Eliezer Berland, to whom the suspects arrested so far belonged before they left the community, is also expected to be questioned.
Clashes between police forces and members of the Shubu Banim community outside Berland's home - due to his wife's delay, one suspect has been arrested so far@VeredPelman
(Photo: World News) pic.twitter.com/WU8xcvXcCg— Here News (@kann_news) November 1, 2021
Rabbi Berland's arrest comes after yesterday morning detectives from the Jerusalem District Central Unit arrested two additional suspects, Jerusalem residents in their sixties and seventies - on suspicion of their involvement in the two cases that have been under investigation by the police for over 30 years.
After their arrest, the two were transferred for questioning to the central unit in the Jerusalem district.
The detention of the two suspects who were arrested yesterday on suspicion of involvement in the murder of Nissim Sheetrit was extended this morning by four days - until Thursday.
His lawyer said at the hearing that he was confronted by another suspect in the case, who claimed that he was the driver who brought her to meet Sheetrit. The suspect denied the accusations and answered "I don't remember" to most questions.
The judge determined that there was reasonable suspicion and extended the detention.
These arrests join additional arrests made in the past two weeks as part of the investigation into the same cases.
On Thursday, it was reported that the police had obtained a state witness in the case - one of the arrested suspects.
This is a dramatic development in the complex investigation being conducted by the Jerusalem Police Department, which has so far encountered difficulties. The agreement, according to which the suspect will incriminate the others involved in the case, is expected to accelerate the pace of the investigation.
One of the lawyers noted that his client was offered a state witness agreement.
On Thursday, the detention of the first five suspects arrested in the case was extended.
Nissim Sheetrit, 17 years old when he disappeared, lived in Jerusalem. Before he disappeared, he was attacked by a man near the yeshiva he attended in Ashdod. After some time, while working in the Knesset, he received a phone call and left the Mishkan. That evening, he was last seen in central Jerusalem and has not been seen since.
The second case involving the suspects occurred four years later, in 1990. Avraham Edri, 40, from Jerusalem, worked at the Yeshiva "Vaimer Yitzhak" in the Shimon HaTzadik neighborhood. One evening, he told his wife that he was going to the yeshiva - it is known that he arrived at the place, left it and disappeared.
His absence was reported to the police and the next day his body was found in the Ramot forest.
