'Police beat and spat on us'

A Palestinian man who was arrested in connection to a rape of an 11-year-old boy and was later released is saying he and the three other former suspects are considering suing the police for a violent arrest and humiliation they were subjected to during their interrogation. "We were treated like dogs, a police officer spat on us and shouted that all Arabs must be killed."

T., one of four illegal Palestinian aliens who were falsely accused of raping and abusing a boy, recounted the experience: "We finished work and drove back to out apartment. At around 3 am 10 police officers broke into the apartment." He claimed the officers covered their faces, beat them, searched the apartment and took away their cell phones.

"At one point they took us to the police station without explaining why we were arrested. We were then told an 11-year-old boy complained we had raped him after having intoxicated him," T. said.

He denied any connection to the event. "I was shocked and said I had nothing to do with it. I asked who the boy was and when the rape supposedly occurred but they didn't answer my questions."

He added: "I kept thinking about my family and the great shame. I didn't want to call and tell them because of the shame."

The boy was questioned again on Wednesday and following discrepencies in his story it was decided to release the four before a line-up was held. The boy admitted to fabricating some of the cases and gave a different description of the suspects.

The four were transferred to an IDF checkpoint on the way to their village. "We got on a police car that dropped us off at the Kafr Kassem checkpoint. They never returned our cell phones and just ordered us to return to the village without explaining why we were suddenly released and without apologizing," T. said.

He added that they learned the boy had lied from their lawyer.

Police said in response that the arrest was carried out in the middle of the night for fear the four would escape back to the Palestinian Authority.

It was also stated that there was no misconduct on the part of the officers, and that the four are welcome to file a complaint. "Once the boy recanted the four were immediately released," police said.