The five Arab teenage terrorists who murdered 64-year-old Alexander Levlovitch in Jerusalem on Rosh Hashana have been indicted on charges of manslaughter – not murder.
Named in the attack were: Abad Dawiyat, 19; Alulid Atara, 18; Mohammad Abu Kaf, 18; Walid Paras, 17; and Mohammad Salah, 17.
The stone-throwing attack by the five Arab terrorists was responsible for Levlovitch’s death and injuries suffered by his wife and daughter.
The suspects were indicted Thursday morning in Jerusalem District Court on charges of manslaughter, causing grievous bodily harm, assaulting a police officer, reckless endangerment, arson, and manufacturing weapons.
But not murder, which delineates a clear intent to kill — as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu explained when describing the mentality behind Arab stone-throwing attacks.
Yet under interrogation each member of the group insisted he had no connection to any terrorist organization, and no intention to kill anyone. And although the attack took place on the Jewish new year, each of the five said there had been no connection to the Jewish holiday.
According to police and Shin Bet sources quoted by Walla! News, the suspects were at a relative’s home in Sur Baher before deciding to go out to buy drinks for a card game.
Dawiyat allegedly suggested the group throw stones at Israeli vehicles on the nearby road leading to the Arnona neighborhood in Jerusalem. One of the group was the designated lookout who would warn the others if Israeli security personnel were approaching.
According to the report, the other four members of the group started hurling rocks at passing vehicles, skipping those that seemed to be driven by Arabs. Dawiyat hit Levlovitch’s car with a stone, causing the driver to lose control of the vehicle and suffer a heart attack.
All four of the young terrorists fled and agreed not to speak about what they had done – but they were caught by Israeli security forces a few days later and confessed to the attack.
Two are also recidivists, and were charged with having rioted and thrown stones and firebombs at Israeli security forces in 2014.
The suspects are being held on remand at the request of the prosecutors until the conclusion of court proceedings.