In pictures: The occupation arrests 10 Jerusalemite children
The occupation authorities arrested on Tuesday 10 Jerusalemite children aged between 9 and 13 years. Five children were arrested by the Musta’ribeen (undercover police) and three others were called for interrogation. The detainees are: Islam Khamis Shweiki (9), Nabil Mazen Khatib (9), Ibrahim Bassam Idris (11), Majd Majdi Abu Asab (12), Adham Fayez Obeidat (13), Tamer Khalifeh Mughrabi (12), Yazan Anwar Salfiti (12), Mohammad Mohannad Odeh (13) and Mohammad Jaber Rajabi (14). Wadi Hilweh Information Center explained that the Musta’ribeen unit raided the street leading to Ras Al-Amoud schools in Silwan and randomly fired live bullets in the area and chased the students who were heading to their schools. The students who were arrested by the Musta’ribeen are Idris, Abu Asab, Shweiki, Ghazaleh and Obeidat. Lawyer Mohammad Mahmoud who managed to visit the detainees at O’z police center in Jabal Al-Mukabber explained that the children were assaulted by the Musta’ribeen personnel during the arrest and were then transferred to Ras Al-Amoud settlement where they were assaulted and beat again. Hours later, they were transferred to interrogation center and were not provided with any food. The children explained to the lawyer that they were assaulted at the settlement because of not knowing their birth dates. They added that they were heading to their schools in the area and suddenly heard gunshots. They tried to run away from the area towards their schools but the Musta’ribeen attacked and arrested them and deliberately pushed them to the ground; the children were blindfolded and handcuffed. At night time, the children (Obeidat, Ghazaleh, and Abu Asab) were presented to the Magistrate judge who decided to extend the arrest of Abu Asab and Ghazaleh until Wednesday afternoon and if the police fail to bring evidence to extend their arrest, they will be released. The judge extended the arrest of Obeidat until Thursday as explained by lawyer Mahmoud. The occupation forces also arrested the 9-year old Khatib from the neighborhood of Ras Al-Amoud after raiding his home under the pretext of throwing stones at a settlers’ vehicle; the police claimed that they chased the child and arrested him. The children Mughrabi and Salfiti from Al-Tur and Odeh from Silwan were requested for interrogation at O’z police center in Jabal Al-Mukabber. The judge also extended the arrest of the 12-year old Ahmad Nidal Abu Sbitan until Wednesday; note that he was arrested on Monday after raiding his home in the village of Al-Tur.
