Breached border
צילום: תמר דרסלר
Gang suspected of kidnapping African refugees
Ynet learns police arrested two foreign nationals living in Jerusalem on suspicion of demanding ransom in exchange for release of refugees held in special detention camps in Israel, Sinai. According to suspicions, those who could not pay were tortured, sometimes to death
The Israel Police recently uncovered a violent gang operating both in Egypt and Israel, which was involved in the kidnapping of African refugees seeking to infiltrate Israel and demanding a ransom in exchange for their release, Ynet has learned.
The investigation revealed that those who could not meet the kidnappers' demands and pay the required sum of money were severely tortured in special camps set up on the Egyptian side of the border. These incidents often resulted in serious injuries, and sometimes in death.
The police's Saar division, which specializes in dealing with foreign workers, received intelligence showing that the gang members presented themselves to the refugees as "mediators" who would lead them from their African countries to the Egyptian border and transfer them into Israel.
In the last part of the journey, however, the suspects demanded a ransom of tens of thousands of Israeli shekels in exchange for the transfer.
Between devil and deep blue sea
The gang members set up "camps" for the abducted refugees in the Sinai area, very close to the border, and held the kidnapped people there for many days and sometimes even weeks.The group focused mostly on refugees with relatives in Israel, who could transfer the money, taking advantage of the fact that any refugees who would try to escape would risk being shot by the Egyptian army.
According to the suspicions, some of the gang members guarded the hostages held on the Egyptian side, while others – on the Israeli side – collected the ransom from the refugees' relatives. Only after the money was received, the hostages were allowed to cross the border to Israel.
Those who could not pay allegedly underwent severe torture, which often resulted in serious injuries and even in death.
The police arrested two suspects with a foreign nationally who reside in Israel. They are suspected of kidnapping for the purpose of murder or blackmail, conspiring to commit a crime, blackmail and money laundering.
The investigation is now focused on locating additional suspects and getting the Egyptian authorities involved.
