The scene of the fire; the suspect
Photo: Moshe Mizrahi
Jerusalem motel arson suspected nationalistically motivated
Judge says no evidence presented to him yet that support suspicions arson, which left family of 4 seriously injured, was nationalistically motivated; suspect, who has 6 prior convictions including 3 for arson, to remain in custody.
Police is investigating suspicions that the arson of a motel in Jerusalem,
which left a family of four injured, was nationalistically motivated.
The police initially described the suspect they arrested, a resident of the Old City, as a disgruntled former employee who decided to set the motel alight following his dismissal from the workplace.
During a remand extension hearing at the Jerusalem Magistrate's Court on Friday, the suspect's lawyer argued there was no evidence to point to the arson being nationalistically motivated.
Scene of the fire; the suspect (Photo: Moshe Mizrahi)
The suspect has six prior convictions, three of them for arson.
The police representative said there may have been another person involved in the arson attack.
Judge Mordechai Kadorry noted that while "there is reasonable suspicion the defendant is involved in the crime attributed to him" and that there is evidence he conspired with another to carry out the attack, "at this point I was not presented with evidence pointing to these actions being nationalistically motivated."
Judge Kadorry extended the suspect's remand by six day.
The Oz family was visiting Jerusalem to celebrate father Ronen's 45th birthday. They toured the streets of the capital, saw an art exhibition at the Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design and went to eat at the market.
At night, they stayed at an apartment motel on Street of Prophets when a fire broke out in the building, caused by arson.
The family was staying on the first floor and therefore suffered the brunt of the flames. But they managed to escape, likely thanks to the resourcefulness of the father. The father was very seriously hurt, while the mother and two children—aged 14 and 9—were seriously injured.
A woman who lives nearby said a Molotov cocktail was thrown into the motel, starting the fire. Another neighbor said the suspect, who worked construction during the motel's renovations, had complained to owner that he owed him money, which might've been the reason behind the arson attack.
