13-year-old boy nabbed for planting explosive device in public park
Teen targeted store belonging to rival family at the behest of his brother; explosive device found by children inside tree at Bat Yam park.
A 13-year-old boy was arrested on the suspicion he planted a powerful explosive device inside a tree in a Bat Yam park, police said on Wednesday.
The teen tried to plant the device, that was filled with metal marbles and explosives, inside a business whose owners were in a feud with the boy's family, police said.
The boy told police he was asked to plant the explosive device in the kiosk by his brother, who is serving a life sentence in jail, in order to assassinate another criminal.
The two will be indicted on Thursday. At the same time, police is investigating the involvement of other suspects.
The case came to light in early May when police received a report of a suspicious object in a public park in the city of Bat Yam. The park, visited by children and adults alike on a daily basis, is surrounded by residential buildings, and it is accessible to the general public.
Children playing at the park found the explosive device in a tree, and called the police's bomb disposal squad, that arrived at the scene and disposed of the bomb.
Police opened an investigation into the incident. Several days later, the youth investigators at the police's Ayaon District tracked down the teen and arrested him.
After three days of questioning, the teen admitted to hiding the explosive device in the tree. He said he planted the device because of an argument in which one of his family members was slapped by one of the members of the rival family.
Wanting to defend his family's honor, the boy went to the rival family's kiosk, but when he arrived there he met the target's wife, and decided to hide the explosive device in the tree at the public park instead.
After questioning dozens of people, police arrested Shai Shmuelov, in his 20s from northern Israel, on the suspicion he provided the boy with the explosive device.
Shmuelov was living with his wife in a Ramat Gan apartment, where police found the explosive laboratory with explosives, triggers, metal marbles and other evidence.
Police suspects the teen contacted Shmuelov, and may have received help from other family members who have a criminal record.
Attorney Yuval Zemer, who represents Shmuelov, said: "My client denies all suspicions against him. The claims that an explosive laboratory and explosive devices were found in his home are tendentious and misleading. The items found in his home are easily found in every household."
Commander Natan Bonza stressed that the police views explosive devices as a central issue in fighting crime. "This is an issue that endangers the public, but beyond that there might be more explosive devices out there and there is a lab that manufactures them."
