Groom Arrested Hours Before Wedding, Court Criticizes Police Over Lack of Evidence

Dr. Mousa Hassadieh, 31, from the village of Fureidis, was arrested along with his father, 55, by the Zichron Yaakov police just hours before his wedding on Friday. They were suspected of involvement in a shooting incident near their home. The event's DJ, Mohammed Mahajna, 31, was also arrested.

After 24 hours in custody, the Haifa Magistrate's Court ordered the release of Hassadieh and his father, stating there was "no suspicion of shooting." The three were initially detained on suspicion of "conspiring to commit a crime" following reports of celebratory gunfire preceding the wedding. Judge Farha Joubran Miller rejected the police's request to extend their detention, ruling that "there is no reasonable suspicion that they committed what they are accused of."

During the court hearing, a police representative admitted that searches of the area yielded no weapons, shell casings, or any other evidence linking the suspects to the alleged shooting. The groom's lawyer highlighted that the police found no evidence, and the police representative confirmed no shell casings were found. The lawyer also suggested the shooting might have occurred far from the wedding festivities, a possibility the police representative did not rule out.

The police appealed the release decision, but the District Court upheld the magistrate's ruling. The wedding proceeded at the Mays Al-Reem hall in Ar'ara, with guests waiting for the groom, who was unable to attend his own ceremony. Upon their release, Hassadieh and his father were welcomed by hundreds of relatives and friends.

"There was no shooting at the wedding. Everything said is a lie and a fabrication," stated the father, Naaman Hassadieh. "The police prevented us from experiencing the most beautiful moments of our lives, but we will celebrate the joy again." Dr. Hassadieh expressed his sadness at missing his wedding, saying, "I wanted to celebrate my wedding and be with my bride and my family, but what happened affected me greatly and saddened me, after I was prevented from the moment I so looked forward to."

Wedding attendees described the arrest as "provocative and irresponsible," noting that similar incidents at other Arab weddings in recent months, where no shots were fired, have also led to police raids. They questioned why arrests occur during celebrations when Arabs wish to rejoice, while other incidents in the village have not resulted in similar police action.