The Supreme Court in Israel has dismissed a complaint by two Palestinian detainees against controversial interrogation methods used by the security service, Shin Bet.

Judges voted narrowly , by five to four, to allow Shin Bet to continue using a restraining technique, known as al-shabah, which leaves handcuffed prisoners stretched on a tilted stool, with sacks over their heads and loud music blasting into their ears.

The BBC correspondent in Jerusalem says it is the latest in a series of rulings upholding Shin Bet's right to apply such methods.

Interrogation methods have long been the subject of protest

Despite the ruling, our correspondent says Israel may yet be forced to admit that the methods used to interrogate Palestinian prisoners amount to torture and should be stopped.

Israel denies that it uses torture, but argues that what has been called moderate or increased physical pressure can be employed, notably in so-called 'ticking bomb' cases, where prisoners are thought to have information about imminent terrorist attacks.

However, local and international human rights organisations have long charged that the Shin Bet's methods do, in fact, constitute torture, and thus contravene Israeli and international law.

Yuval Ginbar, of the Israeli human rights organisation, B'tselem, said the ticking bomb concept was little more than an excuse. Hundreds of Palestinians were tortured for this reason, he said, only to be released later without charge.
 

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