A rabbi who runs a number of schools in northern Israel has been arrested on suspicion he sexually assaulted three minors, the court cleared for publication Friday.

Ynet has learned that the rabbi is suspected of raping a 14-year old girl and performing indecent acts on a boy of the same age, as well as sexually assaulting another girl, also 14.

He has denied the allegations, claiming they are the product of a conspiracy against him by the schools he heads.

The rabbi was arrested Thursday while preparing to go abroad for two weeks. The Nazareth Magistrates' Court remanded his arrest by a week on Friday.

His attorney claimed before the court that the rabbi fell victim to blackmail. He said the father of the girl allegedly raped was trying to extort NIS 100,000 ($28,100) and that he was now inciting against him in public.

A police representative said three minors had come forward so far, and the court ruled that sufficient evidence had been presented to keep the rabbi in custody.

But his attorney insisted on the rabbi's innocence following the court hearing. "This man has been an education figure for close to 40 years and he has recently fired a number of people from the schools he heads. They are subsequently conspiring against him. We have evidence to this effect, including tapes and text messages" Yehuda Freid said.