Negev man suspected of planning soldier abduction

Bedouin man, Jenin resident arrested on suspicion of breaking into judge's house, performing indecent act on his wife. Palestinian man also suspected of illegally entering Israel

Ilana Curiel|Published: 06.27.11 , 19:30

A man from the Bedouin village of Lakiya was arrested Monday on suspicion of involvement in an attempted kidnapping of an IDF soldier and for breaking into the house of a judge in southern Israel.

According to suspicion, he broke into the house together with a Palestinian man from Jenin, who was also arrested last weekend.

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The housebreaking occurred last February. According to the judge's wife, she woke up from her sleep when the suspect and another man noticed her, took out a knife and threatened to hurt her. The woman also claimed the suspect performed indecent acts on her, while her daughters were watching.

It is suspected the two also stole valuables from the house.

During the investigation, it was revealed that one of the suspects is a Palestinian resident from Jenin. Last weekend, the police's Central Investigations Unit received information about a suspect who entered Israel illegally and is staying in Rahat.

Police then arrested the suspect, who denied the accusations against him. After his arrest, the police were able to locate the second suspect who lives in the Bedouin village of Lakiya.

During his investigation, suspicion arose that he was also involved in planning the kidnapping of an IDF soldier in Beersheba. Justice Gad Gideon remanded the Palestinian's arrest by seven days in order to continue the investigation.

Police motioned to remand the Lakiya resident's arrest by 12 days, claiming he committed grave offenses and "drove the illegal alien from place to place."

Justice Gideon ruled that there was reasonable ground to the accusations, but remanded his arrest by only eight days.