Nahariya Court Extends Detention of Suspect in Church Vandalism
Police arrested a 21-year-old Nahariya resident who confessed to vandalizing a local SLA heritage church out of religious hatred. A magistrate's court extended his detention as the Maronite community and church officials strongly condemned the attack.
Police arrested 21-year-old Nahman Yedidya Keren in Nahariya on Monday in connection with the vandalism of a South Lebanon Army heritage church in the city. According to investigators, the suspect initially remained silent but later confessed to the act, stating that he hates Christianity. He faces charges of church burglary, religious insult, wounding religious feelings, and malicious property damage.
During a hearing at the Krayot Magistrate's Court, Judge Orit Cantor extended Keren's detention by three days following an agreement between Nahariya police representative and Public Defender's Office attorney Irena Luria. The judge stated that she was convinced of a strong reasonable suspicion linking the suspect to the alleged offenses.
"In my assessment, these are offenses driven by religious hatred, which increases both the level of danger and the severity of the case," Judge Orit Cantor ruled. Keren is scheduled to appear before a judge again on Thursday.
The incident shocked the former SLA community, whose members arrived at the church last Sunday to find broken statues and vandalized paintings. According to Father Youssef Yaacoub, spokesperson for the Maronite community in the Holy Land, a note in English asking for forgiveness was left on the altar.
The Maronite Archdiocese of Haifa issued a sharp condemnation, emphasizing that the act violated the sanctity of the place of worship and the right of believers to practice their faith freely and safely. The archdiocese demanded that authorities investigate the incident, bring those responsible to justice, and protect the site from future recurrence.
The place of worship operates in a municipal building adjacent to a city kindergarten, serving the approximately 1,100 members of the Lebanese Maronite community for prayers and religious ceremonies. Dozens of worshippers attend services on Sundays, with hundreds participating during holidays.
