Israel detains self-styled sage over incest, abuse

Israeli police have detained a 60-year-old self-styled Jewish sage on suspicion of incest and abuse of women and children they allege he kept like slaves in various homes around Tel Aviv.

Goel Ratzon was remanded in custody on Tuesday, a police spokesman said after a gagging order was lifted yesterday.

Mr Ratzon's lawyer said he denied all wrongdoing, adding that about 30 women and 60 children were involved with the accused, who police say exercised extreme power over his commune.

"The evidence shows the suspect controlled his women with a firm hand, including their possessions and their money," said a police statement, which added that Mr Ratzon had written a "rule book" for women he kept in "conditions of slavery".

"He would dictate what they could and could not do, limit their movements and impose sanctions and various punishments, including the use of violence if they refused to obey."

Among the more serious allegations, police said Mr Ratzon was suspected of fathering children with some of his own daughters. Police said 17 women and about 40 children were involved.

Several women who identified themselves as Mr Ratzon's wives appeared in an Israeli television documentary aired last year.

"He is the messiah everyone is talking about," one said. "He is already here and he hasn't been revealed yet. The day he decides to reveal himself, the land will shake."

The women wore the heavy dress of Orthodox Jews and bore tattoos of the bearded, bespectacled Ratzon's face. He was also interviewed, introducing several of his children, all of whom had names with variations on Goel - Hebrew for "redeemer".