Gag order on murder details lifted, then reinstated

Police on Monday held a press conference during which they revealed many details of a highly sensitive investigation into a 2009 double homicide at a Tel Aviv gay youth club. But half an hour later, after the details had already been published widely in the Israeli media, a judge ruled that the gag order was still in place, forcing news sites to unpublish their stories and replace them with headlines that screamed about the “farcical” court order.

During the press conference, police revealed the name of the suspect, as well as details about his accomplices and the alleged motive behind the attack. However, at the same time, an attorney for one of the three suspects in the case was in the Tel Aviv Magistrate’s Court appealing the decision to lift the gag order that had been in place since his client’s arrest last week.

Police thought that the hearing only pertained to the names of two of the suspects, and not to the motive or other details. Meanwhile, the judge ruled to keep the gag order in place without knowing that the details had already been revealed.

Barring no further appeals, the gag order will be lifted Tuesday at 1 p.m.

Police announced last Wednesday that three men were arrested in connection with the shooting that claimed two lives and injured several others. A fourth suspect was also later detained and held for questioning.

This fourth suspect, who was described by police as “a prominent member of the gay and lesbian community,” is not thought by authorities to have been involved directly in the shooting. Nevertheless, the man is believed to be “a key figure” in solving the case, which, police assess, was motivated by reasons of personal revenge, not anti-gay sentiment. He is also suspected of sexual offenses, police said.

Adiv Sterman contributed to this report.