An overnight operation Thursday eliminated terrorist Ashraf Walid Suleiman Na’alwa, who carried out the shooting attack in the Barkan industrial zone in which two Jewish employees were killed two months ago. Shabak, IDF and Israel Police forces participated in the operation. The terrorist was killed when he resisted the forces’ attempt to arrest him.
The IDF Spokesperson stated that the assailant was armed when the forces arrived at the place where he was hiding, in Shechem, Samaria, and tried to escape before he was shot. He was located after an ongoing effort, during which the Shabak led a large-scale intelligence operation that included the use of operational and technological capabilities.
As part of the operation, a number of suspects who helped or were aware of Na’alwa’s activities were arrested and interrogated. The detainees were transferred to Shabak interrogation facilities and some of them have already been tried. The interrogations revealed that Na’alwa intended to carry out another attack, which was prevented, now that he has been killed.
Last month, the military prosecution filed indictments against the terrorist’s mother and brother, according to which the two had known about his plan to carry out the murders and to die as a “shaheed” (martyr). Additional charges were filed against Na’alwa’s brother, who hid the video footage from a security cameras in their home, in order to help the murderer escape.
The indictments submitted to the military court attribute failure to prevent a crime and obstruction of justice to the terrorist’s family members. The terrorist’s mother was charged with knowing that her son had a weapon and that he was training in using it. She inform the terrorist’s brother of these facts, but neither of them acted to prevent the murders.
A demolition order for the terrorist’s house was issued in early November, according to which the basement and ground floor of the home where he lived would be destroyed. The IDF stressed that the order was signed only after the terrorist’s family had a chance to appeal the demolition. The appeal was rejected.