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Five men from Galilee in northern Israel were indicted Monday on charges of gang raping a mentally disabled teenage girl from a local village.
The case gathered media attention three weeks ago when police arrested three men from the town of Rameh on suspicion of raping a 16-year-old girl.
The suspects are said to be aged between 23 to 32, and four of them appear to be members of the same family.
According to the indictments, one of the men began a relationship with the victim through an online video game chat room. He arranged to meet with her and picked her up at her home, took her to a nearby olive grove and along with the other suspects drugged and raped her in an abandoned car.
Charges were brought by Haifa's region criminal prosecution against 28-year old Rashad Nasser, 29-year old Ohad Nasser, 29-year old Maher Badran, 32-year old Tamr Nasser and 23-year old Mohammed Nasser. The prosecution requested that all five remain in custody until criminal proceedings against them, end.
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Two of the five suspects in the gang rape case of a mentally disabled teenager in court where they were charged with the crime
(Photo: Avihu Shapira)
The alleged rape was unveiled after the teen's parents reported her missing. Police began searching for her but were told after only two hours that she had returned home.
Because of her young age, officers questioned the victim as to her whereabouts and during questioning realized the seriousness of the crimes committed against her. The attack was further detailed by the teen after a youth investigator was brought in to question her.
She told the investigators that she had begun communicating with one of the assailants online. Her parents were unaware of the crime that was committed.
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A man suspected of participating in gang rape of mentally disabled teen in court on Monday
(Photo: Avihu Shapira)
According to the young girl's testimony, one of the assailants came back to the scene of the crime after he and his friends left the area and raped her once more.
Lawyers from two of the suspects said they had not received the girl's testimony and therefore could not comment on the rape charges.