Israeli police bust messianic prostitution ring

Israeli police say they have uncovered a messianic Jewish sect that prostituted women to "save Israel."

In a statement Sunday, police said officers had arrested four people on suspicion of coercing women into having sex with non-Jews and of exploiting the women sexually by causing them to become addicted to drugs and alcohol. The reasoning was allegedly "to save the people of Israel and bring redemption nearer."

Police say the four suspects, two men and two women, are part of a messianic sect. One is a 60-year-old man from Kiryat Arba and another is a 47-year-old man from Ashkelon. The suspects' arrest was extended by five days on Sunday.

A four-month long investigation followed a complaint by an alleged victim, who said the suspects were brainwashing women into believing they were helping the Jewish people by having sex with non-Jews, while pocketing the money earned for themselves. The investigation revealed that the cult had been operating throughout Israel. The cult's leaders would allegedly find non-Jewish men, including Israeli Arabs, Palestinians and Sudanese immigrants, via the Internet or on the streets, and set up meetings between them and the women at motels in Ashkelon, in industrial areas in Kiryat Arba, and sometimes in public parks.

The alleged victim told of an incident in which she was leaving the Western Wall with the cult leaders when one of them gave his phone number to some Arab men and then sent the men to her home.

She said no violence had been inflicted upon her, but the cult leaders would watch and sometimes film the meetings they set up. They then would take money from the men and keep it for themselves, she said.

Before the arrest hearing began in court, the chief suspect said, "These are all false accusations; they just want to accuse for no reason. I am not that man, I only want to bring joy to the people of Israel, to the soldiers, everywhere. My entire purpose is to bring joy."

In court, a police representative said, "This is an investigation of a messianic cult in which Jewish women were sleeping with non-Jews. The investigators discovered a shocking case in which they humiliated and trampled on these women -- physically and emotionally -- and it reached the lowest possible level.

"There are many people involved in this case and the investigation has only just begun."

The primary suspect's attorney claimed that his client is mentally unsound and that the complainant had a prior conflict with him.

"There are no other plaintiffs," said attorney David Barhum. "This claim is nothing but a claim, there is no evidence of a lack of consent, and everything is based on the same version of events, in which the plaintiff said there was heavy drug use to curb the women's ability to make choices."

The police only have one testimony, but are hoping that making the case public will encourage other victims to come forward.

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