Military Court, Russian Compound, Thursday July 5, 2007Observers: Hava H. and Nurit S. (reporting)Although we arrived at 10 am, we had to wait to be admitted for about 40 minutes. It seemed that the person in charge of admitting us forgot about routine visits.A translator was present but he rarely translated anything. 1. Morad Salhab was arrested on May 21 and was up for the fourth extension of his detention after 50 days of interrogation. The prosecution requested another extension of 11 days.The charge: membership in the organization of al Jamaya al Islamia and provision of services to a hostile organization. The services provided were related to the Hamas’s elections campaign (such activities as arranging the chairs at a meeting or hanging posters calling for votes for the Hamas). In one of the clauses of the confidential file the grave offenses allegedly committed by the prisoner are described. Defense Lawyer Mamun Hashim demands the conclusion of this lengthy interrogation and that the detainee either is released or charged. Attorney Mamun Hashim tells the court that the detainee suffers from pain in his kidney and health problems. The lawyer tells us that this man is most probably detained as a means to pressure his brother, who is also detained, or some other connection to his brother’s arrest. Verdict: Extension of detention for 5 more days.The second hearing was of a detainee who is “prohibited” and we as well as the detainee and his defense lawyer were not allowed to hear the charges against him (which are kept secret in order to “not compromise the interrogation”). 2. Two young Palestinians prisoners were brought on charges of drug dealing. They are presented at this court, despite the fact that they are charged with criminal rather than security charges, because the crime was committed in the occupied territories. The prisoners confessed. IN this case the police prosecutor, Moti Greenfeld, presented the charges rather than an army prosecutor. Their detention was extended for another week. 3. Nasser Isa Hasan Shucha was arrested on June 6 and the prosecution requested an extension of detention for 15 more days in order to continue his interrogation. The interrogator, Avi Akiva, said the “interrogation was progressing nicely”. We wonder what that means. Is the detainee incriminating other people or himself or both? The charge: membership in Jihad and participation in its activities. The judge requests that the translator translate into Arabic and the protocol is written in Arabic (first time we’ve seen that).4. Jalal Abed Shcade MasriInterrogator Avi AkivaDefense Lawyer: Mamun HasimThere is a confidential report and protocol. This detainee has been accused of making explosives last year. The material relating to this accusation has been in the hands of the GSS for a long time. The defense lawyer wanted to know why GSS decided to arrest the detainee only now, after such a long time. He does not receive an answer. The detainee denies the accusations. Verdict: Extension of detention for 8 days.