The Israeli magistrate court in Haifa on Thursday extended the detention of Sheikh Kamal al-Khatib head of the Freedoms Committee at the High Follow-Up Committee for Arab citizens of Israel after it received an indictment file against him.
Lawyer Omar Khamaysa said that the court issued the extension decision after the Israeli prosecutor presented an indictment related to opinions stated by Sheikh Khatib about recent events in the Palestinian arena.
The indictment includes claims accusing him of inciting to violence supporting violent acts and being affiliated with a banned group (the Islamic Movement).
The lawyer added that in light of this indictment the court decided to extend his detention until the legal procedures are prepared for his trial.
Since his arrest two weeks ago the Israeli prosecutor has kept extracting verdicts from the same court to extend his detention in order to find some time to make up charges against him.
Sheikh Khatib was kidnaped from his home in the northern Arab town of Kafr Kana on May 14 as Jewish extremists were rampaging and attacking Palestinians and their property in Arab cities.
