Israel Matzav

Arab citizen of Israel charged with assisting suicide bomber

An 'Israeli-Arab' resident of Kafr Kassem has been charged with assisting a suicide bomber who attacked the 'My Coffee Shop' café in Tel Aviv in March 2002.

One woman was killed and dozens were injured in the attack. YNet reports on how Islam Badir was caught:

A breakthrough in the case came about a month and a half ago, when Jerusalem resident Abu Saris, 28, was arrested for illegal residence in Israel. During his investigation, Saris admitted to accompanying the terrorist from Nablus to Israel in accordance with instructions he had been given by terror leaders in the Balata refugee camp in Nablus.

Abu Saris said during his interrogation that an acquaintance from Kfar Kassem drove the suicide bomber and himself to Petah Tikva.

Badir, who was imprisoned in Israel for a criminal act he had committed, was later investigated by the Shin Bet and admitted to driving the suicide bomber and Abu Siras to Petah Tikva.

During his investigation Badir said that during the drive he began to be suspicious of Abu Siras and the terrorist’s intentions; upon arriving in Petah Tikva, the three stepped out of the car, at which time Badir noticed that the bomber was adjusting ‘a box-like object’ in his coat, leading him to believe that the man was in fact planning to carry out a suicide attack.

Badir said he then pressured Abu Siras into telling him that the man they drove was a terrorist.

However, Badir drove back to Kfar Kassem without informing the authorities; Abu Siras and the terrorist then hailed a cab and made their way to Tel Aviv, where the terrorist blew himself up at the entrance to the 'My Coffee Shop' café.

And you wonder why many Israeli Jews don't trust Arabs?

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 6:09 PM