Investigators confirmed Monday morning that a shooting attack in Haifa early January was in fact an act of nationalistic terrorism targeting Jews. Indictments were issued on Monday for the terrorist and three other local Arabs who aided him before and after the attack.
The attack, which took place on January 3rd, left 47-year old Guy Kafri dead and wounded 48-year old Rabbi Yehiel Iluz.
Despite suspicions during the investigation that the attack was nationalistic in nature, authorities had refused to disclose details of the case, including the identity of the shooter, prior to Monday’s indictment of the shooter.
The terrorist has been identified as Mahmoud Shinawi, a resident of the neighborhood of Halisa in Haifa.
Following his arrest, Shinawi was interrogated by Shin Bet internal security service agents, to whom he acknowledged that the shooting had targeted Jews and was motivated by anti-Semitism.
Shinawi told investigators that while looking for a target, he had spotted a haredi man walking down the street, followed after him, and then opened fire, leaving the man, Rabbi Iluz, seriously injured.
While fleeing the scene of the attack, Shinawi spotted a Jewish woman and opened fire, though he missed his target. Making his way back to the Halisa neighborhood, Shinawi spotted Kafri and shot him to death.
Following Kafri’s murder, Shinawi received assistance from two friends: Halad Adel Saliman Abu Calib and Ahab Ayoub Mahmoud Youssef.
Shinawi met with the two and requested they transport him to Brenner Street. During the meeting, Shinawi disclosed that he was responsible for the shooting that day, and explained his intention to steal a motorcycle, adding that he had ordered from a fast-food restaurant and planned to run off with the deliveryman’s vehicle. For the theft, Shinawi’s compatriots gave him a butcher’s knife.
Authorities note that Shinawi has a record of anti-Semitic crimes, including setting a Jewish-owned car on fire during the 2006 Lebanon War.
Following his interrogation, police detained both of Shinawi’s compatriots for questioning, during which they admitted met with and transported Shinawi following the terror attack.
Indictments were filed against Shinawi for murder, attempted murder, and use of a firearm in a terror attack; and against Youssef and Abu Calib for providing material support for a terror attack, and obstruction of justice.
In addition, a minor has been indicted for his role in the attack, after Shinawi told investigators the youth brought him the firearm used in the shooting.