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Israel indicts American over plot to bomb Muslim holy sites
Texas native Adam Everett Livix attempted to purchase 1.4 kilos of stolen explosives from IDF soldiers; Palestinian operative tried to convince him to assassinate President Obama.
An American Christian was indicted Monday for plotting to blow up Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem, the Justice Ministry said Tuesday, after the court cleared the case for publication at the request of the state.
The man, Adam Everett Livix, 30, a Texas native, is wanted in the United States for drugs-related offenses. In Israel, he was indicted for three offenses.
According to the indictment, Livix passed himself on as a member of the elite American unit the Navy SEALS. He told friends he had strong anti-Arab sentiments and wished to target Muslim sites.
In October, Livix asked his roommate, a serving soldier in the IDF, to help him obtain weaponry, including 1.4 kilograms (3 pounds) of explosive material, to use to blow up the unidentified Jerusalem holy sites. Livix went as far as paying a part of the sum agreed upon for the explosives.
Livix was also indicted for negotiating, with the help of his acquaintance the soldier, the purchase of two IDF demolition blocks stolen by a friend of that acquaintance. When Livix asked for time to come up with the money for the deal, the acquaintance's friend sold them to a military police agent.
The third offense concerned the attempt to purchase another demolition block from another soldier.
Livix's crimes were being investigated by the Netanya Police, the Police Central Unit, military police and the Shin Bet.
Last week, police went to arrest Livix at his 7th-floor apartment, but he initially escaped by leaping onto a 6th-story patio before finally being apprehended.
According to the Shin Bet, Livix arrived to the Middle East in 2013 and lived in the Palestinian Authority - in Hebron and in Bethlehem. According to the allegations, while he was there, he was approached by a Palestinian operative who offered him to assassinate US President Barack Obama, who was visiting Israel in March of that year, using a sniper rifle. Livix refused.
After his time in the Palestinian Authority, he entered Israel and has been staying in the country illegally for a year and a half.
The court extended Livix's remand until the end of proceedings against him, and ordered to send him to psychiatric evaluation following a request from Livix's attorney.
Livix's lawyer, attorney Gal Wolff of the public defense's office said, "This case was presented by the defense establishment as one of the most grave security cases in the history of the State of Israel. Based on this information, the defendant was denied the right to see an attorney for eight days while he was in custody ... the indictment that was eventually filed shows that there was no justification to deny him an attorney. This is not the first time this draconian measure is taken and it later becomes evident there was no justification of it."
Livix's indictment comes at a time of rising tensions in Jerusalem, mostly over the Temple Mount, which is holy both for Jews and Muslims.
In 1969, an Australian Christian started a fire at the complex in hopes that it would hasten the second coming of Jesus Christ. The man, Denis Michael Rohan, was subsequently committed to a mental institution.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
