Israel’s Public Security Minister, Amir Ohana (Likud), slammed the arrest of three Jewish civilians who opened fire on rioters in self-defense earlier this week, demanding their immediate release.

“The arrest of the shooter in Lod and his friends, who apparently acted in self-defense, is terrible,” Ohana said Wednesday morning.

“Even if there are some things the public is not aware of yet, law-abiding citizens who carry guns expand the power of law-enforcement authorities to stop immediate threats and dangers.”

But Ohana went on to say that he lacks the authority as Public Security Minister to order the release of the three men.

“If only it were so – they’d be free. And the law-enforcement system would do well to [free them].”

On Tuesday, the Rishon Letzion Magistrates Court extended the arrest of the three men until Thursday.

Judge Tal Aner rejected the three suspects’ request to be released, ruling that “it appears early on that the suspects’ claims do not fit the objective facts.”

The three were arrested Tuesday in connection with the killing of a rioter who attacked a Religious Zionist community in the central Israeli city of Lod Monday night.

A synagogue was torched and a yeshiva ransacked by Arab rioters, who also hurled stones and firebombs at Jewish homes in Lod.