Bomb squad at scene
Photo: Ido Erez
Police source: Mobsters don't mind hurting children
Police official slams Israeli mobsters after explosive device meant for reputed crime figure discovered near Netanya kindergarten Friday; Criminals want to hit their target even at price of hurting innocents, he says
Israeli mobsters seeking to target their underworld rivals have no qualms about hurting innocents in the process, a police source told Ynet Friday evening. The unnamed police official spoke after an explosive device aimed at killing a reputed crime figure was placed near a Netanya kindergarten.
"The criminals don't care – they can hurt children, women, and men. It doesn't interest them. They're only interested in hitting their target, even at the price of hurting innocents – this is frightening and should concern us," the police source said.
Disaster averted – police in Netanya (Photo: Ran Goldblatt)
Earlier Friday, an explosive device was uncovered in Netanya, north of Tel Aviv. Police officials estimated that the bomb was meant to kill reputed crime figure Rami Amira. Notably, Amira was wounded in a recent assassination attempt in Bat-Yam that left an innocent woman dead.
'Disaster averted'
The explosive device discovered Friday was placed near the home of Amira's parents. However, police officials were surprised to see the bomb planted at such proximity to a kindergarten."The criminals are proving that they are crossing every possible line," the police source said. Placing a bomb near a kindergarten? A serious disaster was averted. Had the bomb exploded while the children were playing outside, I don't even want to think about the kind of disaster this would have caused."
However, the police official said that crossing red lines has become a norm in Israel's crime wars.
"In the past, they would invite a criminal to go somewhere, and kill him there. Now everything has changed – they are firing in all directions, detonating bombs at crowded streets, and now it turns out that they don't care about hurting children. This is a disgrace for the Israeli crime world."
