Mouhand al-Okbi
Police ties Be'er Sheva terrorist to Hamas
Evidence gathered, including arrest of terrorist's brother, indicate Mouhand al-Okbi carefully planned attack that left one soldier dead and 10 other Israelis wounded, says southern District police chief.
Mouhand al-Okbi, who killed an IDF soldier and wounded 10 other Israelis in a terror attack in Be'er Sheva, was in communication with Hamas in the time leading up to the attack, police said on Sunday.
A police investigation found photos of other Hamas operatives on al-Okbi's phone, as well as photos of weapons, and other materials.
Retracing al-Okbi's path of violence that day, police found that he arrived at the Be'er Sheva central bus terminal at 7:24pm, a minute before IDF soldier Omri Levy entered the terminal from the same entrance.
Security camera footage documenting the attack (דובר חטיבת המשטרה)
The terrorist started following the soldier and two minutes later walked by Levy, opened the door to one of the outside bus platforms, and waited there.
When the soldier noticed this, he changed his course and entered the bathroom. The terrorist followed him there and shot him from short range.
Al-Okbi then stole the soldier's rifle, exited the bathroom, and opened fire at police and SWAT troops who were heading towards him.
Mouhand al-Okbi, right, and the scene of the attack (Photo: Hezl Yossef)
He then escaped towards the terminal's trash containers, trying to flee from there, but was shot dead by SWAT troops and Be'er Sheva police detectives during a gunfight.
Security forces found a knife next to his body.
Knife found in the terrorist's possession (Photo: Police Spokesman)
Gun found in the terrorist's possession (Photo: Police Spokesman)
"After the lifting of the gag order, we can confidently say, contrary to the rumors and conspiracy theories that became prevalent on social media in recent days, that Mouhand al-Okbi is not innocent," said the commander of the Israel Police's Southern District, Yoram HaLevy.
"It was unquestionably proven that he is the terrorist who murdered soldier Omri Levy and was involved in the shooting and wounding of police officers, who bravely neutralized him and stopped him from continuing his murderous spree."
The terrorist's brother was arrested on suspicion he knew his brother had bought a gun and witnessed Mouhand's radicalization, but failed to report it to the authorities.
HaLevy said the many evidence collected, including the brother's arrest, "clearly show that the terrorist punctiliously planned his actions over a long period of time, and was determined to hurt and kill soldier Omri Levy and many others."
