The IDF's Criminal Investigative Unit has taken control of the probe into the Adei Ad security team after it killed a convicted terrorist last Saturday.

According to Ynet, the IDF is leading the probe and not the police, as is customary, due to the military's view that Adei Ad's civilian security team are classified as soldiers when on duty. The classification of the security officials as soldiers means that the investigation falls under the purview of the IDF and not Judea and Samaria Police.

The shooting occurred on Saturday amid clashes between Arabs living in the area and Adei Ad residents. IDF and Border Police forces arrived at the scene and responded with riot dispersal means.

Adei Ad said through a spokesperson that its security team was forced to defend themselves with live fire in order to escape a violent Arab mob that had stabbed and beaten Jewish hikers. "One of the hikers was stabbed and they managed to call for help. Civilian security teams in the area rushed to the scene to rescue the travelers and to negate reports that a hiker was missing," said Adei Ad.

The Arab who was killed during the events has been identified as Hamdi Nussan, a convicted terrorist who sat in prison for a number of terror attacks.

Local residents had protested the decision to open an investigation and alleged that the probe amounted to a lack of backing by the security establishment. A public letter published by a slew of local Jewish villages in the Binyamin area protested the fact the investigation was being headed by police and not the IDF, despite the security team's military classification.

"The fighters of the Shilo bloc are working on a volunteer basis and risking lives to protect the residents, and are the first response force in any security event in the region," read the missive.