Indictments were filed with the Jerusalem District Court on Thursday morning against five Arab terrorists for the murder of Alexander Levlovich, 64, on Rosh Hashanah eve.
The defendants have been named as Dur Baher residents of eastern Jerusalem: Abad Dawiyat (19), Mohammed Abu Kaf (18), Alulid Atarah (18), Mohammad Salah (17) and Walid Paras (17).
They were charged with manslaughter, causing grievous bodily harm, reckless endangerment, assaulting a police officer, arson and weapons manufacturing – but, noticeably, not murder.
Two are also charged with throwing rocks and firebombs at security forces during riots in 2014.
According to Israel Police and Israel Security Agency (ISA) sources, Walla! News reports, the five met to play cards at a relative’s house in the center of Sur Baher before deciding to go out and buy drinks for the game.
At one point, the sources add, Dawiyat, the main suspect of the group, suggested they throw rocks at Israeli vehicles on a nearby road leading to the capital’s Arnona neighborhood.
One of the teens was to remain behind and alert the rest of his friends via cell phone if Israeli security forces approached.
According to the ISA, the four began throwing rocks at vehicles, skipping over those that appeared to be driven by Arabs. Dawiyat, swather in a Hamas flag, hit Levlovich’s car with a rock prompting the Israeli to lose control and suffer a heart attack.
The four fled, agreeing not to speak about the incident, but were identified and arrested by Israeli security forces several days later.
The terrorists admitted to the attack, but claimed they had no affiliation with terrorist organizations and no intention to kill. Although the attack occurred on the eve of Rosh Hashana, the five claim there was no connection to the Jewish holiday.
Prosecutors have requested the defendants be held on remand until the conclusion of proceedings against them.
