Minister of Public Security Yitzchak Aharonovich had a surprise for the top police and Prisons's Service brass in their weekly assessment meeting Wednesday. In mid-meeting, Aharonovich welcomed in Vladimir Guterz, a citizen who was fishing on the Ashkelon beach when he spotted a suspicious black object in the water. He called the police, whose sappers determined that the object was a barrel packed with explosives and connected to another device that was designed to set it off.
The minister awarded Guterz a certificate of gratitude, and read out a congratulatory message: “On Monday, February 1 2010, you noticed a suspicious object on the Ashkelon beach which turned out to be a powerful explosive device. With the alacrity and civil responsibility you displayed, you prevented a grave disaster that could have occurred if the charge had exploded. I hope you continue to fish and come up with fish, not bombs, from now on.”
Regarding the attempted terror attack, the minister said: “This is another method which murderous terror groups have come up with in their ceaseless quest to come up with new ways of killing innocents. The relative calm on the borders can sometimes be misleading. The enforcement authorities will be alert and ready for any scenario, on any front, be it criminal or terrorist.”
Vladimir Guterz thanked the minister and said: “The telephone call this morning from the minister was very exciting and I was very surprised. It is nice to be appreciated. In the Intel plant where I work, there is a rule that every employee has to report once a month about one safety or security matter which he dealt with. My manager told me that now I am free of the need to make these reports until the end of the year.”