Police at the scene
Photo: Raanan Ben Zur
Israeli Arab admits he planned to kill soldier
Man arrested after attempting to grab soldier's weapon; says in investigation he wanted to shoot soldier in revenge for killing of his relative by Border Guard policeman last year
A 23-year-old resident of the village of Ar'ara who was arrested Thursday after attempting to grab a soldier's weapon near the town of Karkur, admitted in his investigation he planned to use the gun to shoot and kill the soldier. The police will ask the Hadera Magistrates Court to extend the suspect's remand.
The man said that he wanted to avenge the killing of his relative, 28-year-old Nadim Malham, who was killed by Border Guard policemen during a search at his house about a year-and-half ago.
Malham's killing in January 2006 prompted riots among residents in the Wadi Ara area who accused the police of being the greatest enemy of Israel's Arab population.
Soldier who was wounded during incident (Photo: Yoav Glazner)
In his investigation, the suspect said that he arrived at the Karkur Junction, north of Hadera, and there saw a soldier whom he thought he could easily overpower. He then approached the soldier, with the intent of grabbing his gun and shooting him to death. The suspect said that he planned to escape with the weapon and sell it.
A security guard who was at the junction at the time of the incident, Meir Cohen, managed to prevent the attack and call the police.
Cohen was on his way to work when he noticed the commotion at the junction. "At first it seemed to me like a scuffle, when I came closer I noticed a bearded man with dark complexion trying to wrestle a soldier's weapon."
Cohen said he then pulled up near the junction, got out of his car and cocked his pistol. The suspect then noticed him and escaped. After s short pursuit, Cohen returned to attend to the soldier, who was lightly wounded, and summoned the police, which later apprehended the suspect.
