Issa Islam. Suspected of murder
Photo: Ido Erez
Truck driven by suspect
Photo: Ofer Amram
Attorney Badi. 'Police have nothing'
Photo: Dudu Azoulay
Police still deem TA incident 'hit and run'
Investigators find it difficult to prove Arab truck driver who killed one person, injured 17 acted on nationalistic motives. 'He could have killed thousands of other Jews but didn't,' says lawyer
A week after an Arab truck driver went on a rampage
on the streets of southern Tel Aviv, killing one person and injuring 17, the police are still defining the incident as a "hit and run".
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Police suspect Tel Aviv incident in which one man was killed is terror act as witnesses describe 'murder in driver's eyes'. But relatives of truck driver claim 'he must have been tired'
The driver, Isaa Islam from Kfar Kassem, was questioned on suspicion of murder, sabotage and dangerous driving, but the police are being cautious about declaring the incident a terror attack. Investigators fear that without the driver's admission, it would be difficult to prove that his motives were nationalistic.
On Monday, the police are expected to ask the Petah Tikva Magistrate's Court to extend the suspect's remand once again.
The investigators, together with the Shin Bet and traffic police, have collected evidence and testimonies over the past week in a bid to link the circumstances of the incident – which took place on "Nakba Day" – to nationalistic motives.
Testimonies collected form people allegedly attacked by the truck driver, after he ran into a school fence, strengthen the estimate that the incident was a terror attack.
In addition, police investigators found religious leaflets in the man's house and confiscated material from his personal computer, but have yet to prove a link between the material and the reason behind his act.
The police are still looking into Islam's religious background and the fact that he recently took part in a pilgrimage to Mecca.
'He won't change his version'
Despite his consistent version that the incident was an unintentional road accident, police officials estimate that it was an intentional terror attack. Islam's claim that one of the truck's wheels was punctured has been refuted.Islam's acquaintances insist that the incident was not a terror attack. His lawyer, Mufid Badir, who met with him three times over the past week, said he and the driver's relatives believe his version.
"The investigators have already questioned all his relatives, including his parents, uncles, friends from the village and people he has business relations with, and have found nothing," he said.
The lawyer added, "Even if you continue to hold him another 100 days, he won't change his version just to satisfy the investigators. He never intended to hurt anyone, and only bought the truck a month ago to provide for his family and disabled father.
"On his way to the Mesubim Junction, where the accident began, he had the chance to kill thousands of other Jews – in Neve Yamin, in Kfar Saba, in many hitchhikers' stations along the Geha Highway, but he didn't do it.
"As for the punctured tire, any sensible person could see on television the tire lying on the road next to the truck."
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