An indictment has been filed against a resident of Shechem (Nablus), the brother of the terrorist who planted the explosive devices that destroyed three buses in Bat Yam, for attempted murder, Kan News reported.
The indictment indicates that the terrorist was captured in Israel shortly before he planted the bombs and was released. The next day, he planted the bombs. According to the indictment, the brother was a partner in the planning of the attack as early as January, when his brother showed him the oxygen cylinders he had bought for the purpose of manufacturing the bombs and later asked him to purchase remote-controlled bomb detonators.
The brother then had a video call with his terrorist brother, which documented his stay in an apartment in Israel, and pointed to the backpack in which the bomb was hidden. The brother realized that the charges were under his bed in an apartment in Israel. It also emerged that the charges were activated using alarm clocks.
The terrorist planted four explosive devices on buses at around 8 pm on February 20 in locations near Bat Yam and Tel Aviv. According to the plan, the bombs were supposed to explode in the morning. After that, he called his mother and brother and asked for forgiveness.
Three buses were destroyed when the bombs planted on them detonated prematurely. Bombs were found on two other buses. Because the bombs exploded when the buses were empty, a mass-casualty incident was miraculously averted.
About two months ago, an indictment was filed against R., a 47-year-old resident of Holon, who drove the terrorist responsible for placing the charges on the buses in exchange for money. The indictment revealed that the defendant received 450 shekels for driving the terrorist.
It is suspected that the person who connected R. and the terrorist is Y., a taxi driver from Bat Yam who gave the terrorist the defendant's phone number for the purpose of driving him. R. admitted during his interrogation that he drove the terrorist, but claimed that he did not know that he was a terrorist. After the indictment was filed, the defendant was released to house arrest after the judge determined that there was no evidence that he knew he was a terrorist.