Israel: neo-Nazi suspects arrested

Israeli police have arrested eight youths on suspicion of being members of an alleged neo-Nazi cell.

It is alleged members of the group had assaulted religious Jews, vandalised synagogues, and swore allegiance to Adolf Hitler.

Eight gang members have been arrested in recent days, and a ninth fled the country, police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said.

All had moved to Israel from the former Soviet Union, but are not considered Jewish according to religious law.

Mr Rosenfeld said: "Eight individuals were arrested for being part of a neo-Nazi cell that operated both on an ideological level as well as an operational level here in Israel."

He added the group had "strong ties and connections to other neo-Nazi groups active in Germany and other places abroad."

A police statement said: "The cell members adopted to themselves Hitler's ideology and worked to create their own unique language which includes music, video clips, insignia, graffiti, and tattoos all depicting Nazi ideology."

During the investigation, police also found explosives and a makeshift handgun in one of the suspect's homes, along with videos and photos of them assaulting a drug addict on a Tel Aviv street and making him beg for forgiveness.

Mr Rosenfeld said the youths all immigrated under the Israeli Law of Return giving them citizenship in the Jewish State because at least one of their grandparents was Jewish, but were not Jewish themselves.

"These youths...planned and carried out attacks against innocent people, both Jewish people wearing yamikas, Asians, foreigners, and had strong ties with neo-Nazi cells overseas as well," Mr Rosenfeld said.

They will be charged with "causing bodily harm to individuals, and sabotage to synagogues."

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