A resident of Ashkelon in his fifties was arrested Thursday for threats against Religious Affairs Minister Matan Kahana.
According to the indictment, the man called yesterday from his cell phone to the office of the Religious Affairs Minister, and told office employee who answered: "Tell him to stop harming the rabbinate or the rabbis, I tell you, in the end he will end up like Rabin."
Former Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated by a religious extremist in 1995.
The defendant added in the phone call: "Someone will take him down (Kahana) because he is harming rabbis and the rabbinate. He just has a kippah on his head and he is not religious at all."
Rapid investigative actions carried out by Ashkelon station investigators led to the identification of the defendant's identity and address. His detention was extended today by the Ashkelon Magistrate's Court.
Last June, the Shabak announced to Minister Kahana that his security would be upgraded and he would be accompanied closely by a security guard. The announcement came following new threats on Minister Kahana's life.