Suspects in faked West Bank kidnap freed to house arrest
IDF had launched massive manhunt in West Bank after Eran Nagauker reported Niv Asraf missing; he was later found hiding nearby with sleeping bag and canned goods.
Jerusalem Magistrate's Court on Monday ordered the conditional release of Niv Asraf and Eran Nagauker, both suspected of faking Asraf's kidnapping last week in the West Bank, which sparked a massive manhunt.
Asraf and Nagauker are suspected of conspiracy to commit a crime, fabricating evidence, obstruction of justice, disturbing the peace and obstruction of a law enforcement officer.
Judge Chen Avital ruled that each will be required to deposit NIS 3,000 in cash and sign a bail agreement of NIS 10,000.
Israeli security forces were first alerted to Asraf's disappearance on Friday, when Nagauker called the police at around 4pm, saying the two had become stranded with a flat tire on their way to pray at the Cave of the Patriarchs. Nagauker said Asraf went to find tools to replace the tire but never returned.
But when the IDF arrived at the scene, troops found no flat tires and after determining there were holes in Nagauker's story, he was taken for questioning. Asraf was located hours later in a nearby wadi, equipped with a sleeping bag and canned food.
The police had asked the court to release the two to house arrest for one week, and ban them from the West Bank for three months. The judge ruled that they could be released under those restrictions, and also barred them from leaving the country until May 6.
