Extreme Jewish sect asks for political asylum in Iran
At least six members of Lev Tahor leadership have now been indicted in the United States, on various charges including kidnapping, identity theft, conspiracy to defraud the United States and international parental kidnapping
Lev Tahor declared its “loyalty and submission to the Supreme Leader and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran”, the documents state.
The appeal to Iran was made in 2018. In it the sect leaders called for cooperation and help to counter what it called Zionist dominance in the Holy Land.
Lev Tahor was founded in Jerusalem in the 1990s by charismatic leader Rabbi Shlomo Hebrans and is estimated to number less than 300 members.
The cult was based in The United States, Canada, Mexico and recently in Guatemala.
Allegations of mistreatment of its children including abuse and child marriages were made against them in every location, though they have so far successfully avoided prosecution.
After the death of Lev Tahor's leader in a reported drowning accident in Mexico, his brother and son have been leading the sect.
At least six members of its leadership have now been indicted in the United States, on various charges including kidnapping, identity theft (use of false passports), conspiracy to defraud the United States and international parental kidnapping.
The Washington Post reported in April that the children of a former sect member, 14-year-old Yante Teller and her brother Chaim Teller, 12, where taken from the area of the house in which they were staying in Woodridge, N.Y., on Dec. 8 in a car was waiting for them.
According to federal indictments, the Tellers were headed for Mexico. When they were captured and returned to the United States with their abductors, Yante was already the wife of an older man.
Charges were made against cult members in July for kidnapping two children. Their mother who had fled the group, is Sara Helbrans, the daughter of sect founder Shlomo Helbrans.
In 2017, Jerusalem District Court found Lev Tahor to be a dangerous sect.
The judge in her ruling said the sect "treats the children of the community, with severe physical punishment, with underage marriage (from the age of 14 for boys and 15 for girls), with spouses who sometimes have age differences of up to 20 years.
"In addition, there is a punitive policy towards members of the community that includes the separation of children from their parents—even in infancy—and the transfer of children to be raised in another family; preventing formal education and isolation from the outside world and all external sources of information; intimidation and threats; exiling minors from the community who are disobedient to the community's authority and its leaders and emissaries alone are able to get by in the world; allegations of unique clothing; frequent migration from place to place, leaving overnight without any preparation, all in accordance with the decisions of the head of the community.
"Finally, it was proven that when the minors leave the community, they suffer from severe psychiatric problems for many years
