Yaakov Teitel

Yaakov "Jack" Teitel (Born Florida, USA, November 1972) is an American-Israeli Orthodox Jew arrested in October 2009 for his alleged connection to various acts of domestic terror. Teitel moved to Israel in 2000, and has been living since then in the West-Bank settlement of Shvut Rachel.[1][2][3]

Teitel lived in Israel for several months in 1997 and subsequently emigrated to Israel in 2000. He was arrested after handing out posters in an ultra-orthodox Jerusalem neighbourhood praising the 2009 Tel Aviv gay centre shooting. Israel police revealed that Teitel, who apparently acted alone, admitted a string of terrorist attacks and attempted attacks, including a pipe-bomb attack against Zeev Sternhell, murdering a Palestinian taxi driver and a West Bank shepherd in 1997 and sending a booby-trapped package to the home of a Messianic Jewish family in Ariel.[4][5][6] A search of his home revealed a cache of guns and parts used in explosive devices.[1]

Teitel was also suspected of murdering two police officers in the Jordan Valley and confessed to the gay centre shooting, though the police have stated that they are certain he was not involved in either.[3][7]

On 10 November 2009, the Jerusalem District Prosecutor's office declared that Teitel will be charged with the murdering of the two Palestinians, incitement to racism, deploying explosive devices and sabotage.[8] Teitel's legal defense is provided by Honenu, an organization which provides legal defense for Israelis accused of crimes against Arabs or the Israeli security forces. Honenu founder Shmuel Meidad suggested that Teitel may be mentally unstable, stating that "It's my impression that this man is sick, but he's not nearly as sick as the state."[9] On 4 May 2010, Jerusalem's district psychiatrist ruled Teitel unfit to stand trial. The evaluation was criticized by Israeli-Arab Knesset members, with Ahmed Tibi stating "An Arab who shoots a Jew in Israel is a terrorist, but a Jew who shoots Arabs is insane."[10] Following a new psychiatric evaluation, the district court overturned the previous ruling and declared Teitel fit for trial, on 30 August.[11]

References

  1. ^ a b "Settler suspected of multiple hate crimes". Ynetnews. 1 November 2009. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3798629,00.html. Retrieved 2009-11-02. 
  2. ^ Harel, Amos (1 November 2009). "Settler admits to murder, series of bomb attacks". Haaretz. http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1125063.html. Retrieved 2009-11-02. 
  3. ^ a b James, Randy (3 November 2009). "Accused Jewish Terrorist Jack Teitel". Time. http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1934103,00.html. Retrieved 2009-11-03. 
  4. ^ Weiss, Mark (2 November 2009). "Israeli police arrest West Bank settler over Palestinian killings". The Irish Times. http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/world/2009/1102/1224257903312.html. Retrieved 2009-11-02. 
  5. ^ Mitchell, Chris (6 November 2009). "Suspect Arrest Announced in Ami Ortiz Case". CBN News. http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/insideisrael/2009/November/Suspect-Arrest-Announced-in-Ami-Ortiz-Case/. Retrieved 2009-11-30. 
  6. ^ Levinson, Chaim (1 November 2009). "Who is suspected Jewish terrorist Yaakov Teitel?". Haaretz. http://www.haaretz.co.il/hasen/spages/1125062.html. Retrieved 2009-11-02. 
  7. ^ Hartman, Ben (5 November 2009). "Police clear Yosef Espinoza, suspected Teitel accomplice". The Jerusalem Post. http://fr.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1257417385328&pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull. Retrieved 2009-11-06. 
  8. ^ Levinson, Chaim (10 November 2009). "Alleged Jewish terrorist to be charged with murdering two Palestinians". Haaretz. http://haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1127200.html. Retrieved 2009-11-10. 
  9. ^ Hartman, Ben (7 November 2009). "Teitel's defense provided by 'Honenu'". The Jerusalem Post. http://fr.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1257455202910&pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull. Retrieved 2009-11-10. 
  10. ^ Levinson, Chaim (4 May 2010). "Jewish terror suspect 'unfit to stand trial'". Haaretz. http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/jewish-terror-suspect-unfit-to-stand-trial-1.288172. Retrieved 2010-05-05. 
  11. ^ Glickman, Aviad (30 August 2010). "Teitel deemed fit to stand trial". Ynetnews. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3946310,00.html. Retrieved 2010-10-07.