Bus attack in which Lakin was murdered
Bus attack in which Lakin was murderedHezki Ezra

Attorney Micah Avni, son of terror victim Richard Lakin who was murdered in a stabbing and shooting attack on a Jerusalem bus a year ago, demanded that Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked fire the judge who delayed the jailing of yesterday's terrorist.

The terrorist who perpetrated yesterday's shooting attack had been sentenced previously to a prison sentence which had been postponed by a judicial decision.

In an interview with Arutz Sheva, Avni mentioned that the judge receives her appointment through the judicial selection committee, which has the prerogative to cancel appointments as well. When asked if there was any precedent for cancelling appointments, he said that he did not know of such a case; however, the Justice Minister, as head of the committee, has the power to implement such a step.

"The committee is responsible for ensuring that Israel has judges who protect the security of its citizens and that the public maintains its trust in the judiciary system. The situation which occurred yesterday is intolerable. A terrorist known to security forces received five months to plan his next attack because he had to work in his father's store or some other excuse.

"The judge preferred the terrorist's convenience over national security. This is a terrible misjudgment on her part which cannot allow her to continue as a judge who enjoys the public's trust," said Avni and added that "in the last twenty years since I studied law the leniency and forgiving attitude towards criminals has steadily increased both with regard to terrorists and common criminals. Rapists are released after a few months and repeat their offenses. The terrorist who murdered my father was found guilty and then released, and ten months later he murdered my father. At his trial he admitted to having maintained his Hamas membership the whole time that he was in jail. We must put an end to this."

Th justice minister must state unequivocally that the values of the state of Israel require terrorists to sit in jail, and judges should implement these values," said Avni.

Should a judge who erred once be allowed to maintain her appointment if she did not recurrently make mistakes? Avni feels that there are too many areas where people do not take responsibility and this attitude filters down. When a serious mistake has been made, somebody must take responsibility.

"If the judge erred, she must pay for her mistake; otherwise, what will other judges and the public think about this? Yesterday we heard a soldier saying that 'we endanger our lives to catch terrorists who are brought to justice and then released by judges.' This is the lenient attitude, which favors the good of the offender over that of the nation.

"We have a courageous and faithful justice minister who can signal to judges and to the nation, 'enough, that's it.' We have to take responsibility for our actions," concluded Avni.