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Photo: Yariv Katz, Yedioth Ahronoth

Gang holds youth for ransom near Hebron

Laborer smugglers who abduct 21-year-old son of Holon businessman arrested in sting operation

Released for publication: Two gang members suspected of kidnapping the son of a man who owed them money were arrested recently in a sting operation, the police said Thursday.

 

The gang held the 21-year-old hostage for four days in the Palestinian territories and demanded a ransom for his release; the youth was freed by the police.

 

On October 30, the suspects and two partners arrived at Holon's industrial center, where the father's business is located. Under the pretense of delivering goods to the business, the gang lured the owner's son to their car, forcing him into the vehicle at gunpoint.

 

The four suspects, who smuggle Palestinian laborers into Israel, took the hostage to a site near Hebron and held him there. Alongside fears that the kidnappers would harm the youth, the police were concerned that terrorists in the region would hear of the abduction.

 

"It was a complex situation, we were working against the clock," Police Commander Gadi Eshed said. "This is an innocent kid who had nothing to do with the financial dispute but was abducted in broad daylight and taken to the territories."

 

The abductors contacted the hostage's family and demanded a NIS 500,000 ransom (roughly $132,000), while moving him around between Hebron and Ramallah.

 

The police began negotiation the terms of the hostage's release with the gang, leading the kidnappers to believe that Palestinian Authority officials were informed of the incident and were out to arrest them.

 

Fearing getting caught, they released the captive near Hebron, hoping to receive the ransom at a later date. One of the suspects was set to meet the negotiators at a Tel Aviv construction site, and was arrested there. One of his partners was detained shortly after.

 

The two were remanded at the Tel Aviv Magistrates' Court, and charges are expected to be pressed against them next week.

 

 

 


פרסום ראשון: 12.01.11, 11:31
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