Jerusalem District Court rules radical rightist was sane at time of the murders and finds Teitel guilty on 2 counts of murder & 2 counts of attempted murder.

By Aviel Magnezi

Yaakov “Jack” Teitel, notoriously known as the “Jewish Terrorist,” was convicted of the murder to two Palestinians and the attempted murder of two other people.

The conviction, rendered by the Jerusalem District Court on Wednesday, stated that Teitel was in full control of his faculties at the time of the murders, thus debunking the defense’s repeated claims that he was legally insane and therefore should not be held responsible of his actions.

Teitel was arrested in 2009 and was held without bail ever since. The indictment against him consisted of 10 counts, including premeditated murder, attempted murder, illegal possession of firearms, arms manufacturing and incitement to violence.

During the trial, it was also revealed that the police and Shin Bet had information which directly pointed at Teitel as the prime suspect in a series of hate crimes, but he had somehow managed to slip through their fingers.

According to court transcripts, Teitel was convicted of the 1997 murder of Samir Akram, a Palestinian bus driver, who offered him a ride. Shortly after boarding the bus, Teitel instructed Akram to pull over to the side of the road, and shot him at point-black range.

He was also convicted of the 1997 murder of Issa Jabarin, a Palestinian shepherd. Teitel shot him twice in the chest, at close range.

Teitel was also found guilty of the 2008 attempted murder of then15-year-old Ami Ortiz. Teitel placed explosives in a package delivered to Ortiz’ home, because he believed that the teen was the leader of a messianic cult. Ortiz suffered serious injuries as a result.

The court further found Teitel guilty of incitement to violence and terror, after he publicly pledged a NIS 20,000 (roughly $5,000) reward to anyone killing gay men and women and “ridding the earth of this Sodom and Gomorrah.”

A flyer he printed and distributed to that effect offered detailed instructions on how to construct a Molotov cocktail.

He was also convicted of targeting Prominent Israeli historian Professor Ze’ev Sternhell in 2008 by planting a pipe bomb in a plant outside his house. Luckily, Sternhell was only lightly wounded.

In May 2012, after three years of consistent denials, Teitel confessed to his

crimes. In an unusual move, the confession was signed and filed with the court by his two attorneys – as he stated that he refused to recognize the court’s jurisdiction.

However, the State agreed to the defense’s request to omit a part of the original indictment, which stated that he was motivated by his objection to groups or individuals whose lifestyles contrasted to his own.

View original Ynet publication at: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4333417,00.html