""They purchased weapons together": Prosecutor's statement against terrorist who helped terrorist from Shuafat

November 13, 2022   

Investigation of last month's shooting attack at the Shuafat checkpoint: The Israel Police and the Shin Bet filed a prosecutor's statement against a suspect who was with terrorist Uday Tamimi in the vehicle, purchased the weapon with him - and planned to carry out an attack with him. The plan to carry out the joint attack ultimately did not come to fruition, and the terrorist carried out the attack alone. Last week, indictments were filed against additional defendants for their involvement in the sale and possession of the weapon that was ultimately used to carry out the attack. More than a month ago, on October 8, 2022, in the evening, a vehicle from the Shuafat refugee camp arrived at the entrance checkpoint, from which an armed terrorist emerged, who charged and fired at security forces stationed at the crossing. Immediately after the attack, the terrorist fled the scene on foot towards Shuafat and the vehicle continued traveling in the opposite direction. As a result of the shooting attack at the checkpoint, soldier Noa Lazar was murdered and others were injured - including security guard David Morel, who was seriously injured. Security forces conducted a lengthy manhunt for the terrorist and his immediate entourage, until he was finally eliminated on the evening of October 19, when he carried out a shooting attack at the entrance checkpoint to Ma'ale Adumim by civilian security guards. After the attack at the Shu'afat checkpoint, Jerusalem District police forces, Border Police forces and Shin Bet arrested 17 suspects, relatives and associates of the terrorist. Most of them were arrested in the hours and days following the attack, and the detention of some of the suspects was extended from time to time according to the needs of the investigation. As part of the investigation, Shin Bet and police investigators traced the source of the weapons that came into the terrorist's possession, and located everyone who assisted him in carrying out and planning the attacks. One of the suspects arrested is the terrorist's cousin - Marwan Tamimi, 21, a resident of Shu'afat. who was with him in the vehicle at the time of the attack. The suspect was arrested by police forces the day after the attack at his home. His interrogation revealed that the suspect planned to carry out an attack together with the terrorist Uday Tamimi. The two jointly purchased a weapon - an FN pistol, which they jointly owned. This plan ultimately did not come to fruition, and the terrorist carried out the attack alone with that pistol and without waiting for him. The interrogation also revealed that the suspect Marwan Tamimi, together with his friends, picked up the terrorist Uday Tamimi from Shuafat and drove towards Jerusalem through the checkpoint. When they arrived at the checkpoint, the terrorist Uday Tamimi carried out the shooting attack. The suspect's detention has been extended from time to time. After an evidentiary foundation was formed against him and at the end of his interrogation - a prosecutor's statement was filed against him last weekend, and his detention was extended again until tomorrow - Monday. In the coming days, the Attorney General's Office is expected to file an indictment against him. Meanwhile, last week, at the end of an investigation In the Shin Bet and the Jerusalem Metropolitan Police, the prosecution filed indictments against two additional suspects who trafficked in weapons used by the terrorist to carry out the attack. The suspects, residents of Shuafat, were charged with various weapons offenses, after the investigation revealed that the terrorist purchased the weapon and cartridges from one of them, and the other was charged with carrying and possessing the weapon. The two suspects were detained until further notice. The Shin Bet and the police are currently investigating the attack, in the case of two additional suspects who are still being detained in the case.