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Suspect Ashraf Kaisi Held by Police
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A twenty-six year
old Israeli Arab citizen from Baka al Garbiyah has been indicted
in a Tel Aviv Court for helping to plan and carry out the suicide
bombing of the Tel Aviv nightclub last month. The bomb blast
murdered five Israelis and wounded fifty others who were queing
up to enter the Stage nightclub along the city's popular Mediterranean
promenade.
David Essing reports:
The news has sent shock waves through Israel - an Israeli Arab
citizen, 26 year old Ashraf Kaisi played an active role in the
deadly suicide bombing. The suspect first lived with his family
in the Israeli town of Hedera where he had many Jewish friends
and acquaintances. At the age of fourteen his family moved north
to the Arab town of Baka al Garbiyah. Kaisi was arrested one
day after he reportedly drove suicide bomber Abdullah Badran
to blow up the Stage nightclub on the night of February 25th.
The suspect was said to have made contact with a cell of the
Islamic Jihad terrorist organization operating out of the west
Bank town of Tul Kerm. The terrorists asked Kaisi to use his
Israeli identity card and license plates to transport a suicide
bomber inside Israel for an attack. He was offered money for
his help. The suspect not only agreed to cooperate he also was
said to have selected the 'best' target for the suicide bombing.
When Islamic Jihad first proposed the town of Netanya on the
Mediterranean Sea for the suicide bombing, Kaisi said it was
not a good idea because bad weather there often kept people
at home. Islamic Jihad then suggested Kaisi's old hometown of
Hedera; the suspect turned thumbs down because he still had
relatives and friends living there. Kaisi then told the terrorists
that he was familiar with Tel Aviv's promenade where nightclubs
and restaurants were packed at night. Islamic Jihad agreed.
The suicide bomber was first transported through the Jerusalem
area, where Israel's security fence has not been built yet.
Kaisi picked him up in his car with Israeli license plates and
headed for Tel Aviv. When they approached an Israeli Police
roadblock near Herzliya, Kaisi told the suicide bomber in the
back seat to pretend he was asleep. Kaisi, who naturally speaks
good Hebrew, then drove easily through the roadblock with his
Israeli car plates. When they reached the Tel Aviv promenade,
the suicide bomber asked Kaisi how much time he would need to
drive away. Kaisi replied a half-hour. Forty minutes later the
suicide bomber detonated his explosives at the Stage nightclub
murdered five Israelis and wounding fifty others.
The Israeli suspect's lawyer says during their drive to the
nightclub, the suicide bomber threatened to blow up the car
if Kaisi did not go through with the attack. This is not the
first time Israeli Arab citizens have participated in suicide
bombings; at least one Israeli Arab has actually carried out
a suicide bombing.
Previously, ISRACAST reported that Israeli security forces
were aware of a dangerous terror cell operating in Tul Kerem
but did not act for fear of violating the current lull in the
violence with the Palestinians. (See March
18th report)
