15-year-old Arab girl indicted on two counts of attempted murder

According to the indictment, earlier this month the unidentified teenager confessed to attempting to stab two Jews in the Old City’s Jewish Quarter so she could “die a martyr.”

By DANIEL K. EISENBUD
Knife [Illustrative] (photo credit: INGIMAGE)
Knife [Illustrative]
(photo credit: INGIMAGE)
The Jerusalem District Attorney’s Office on Thursday issued an indictment against a 15-year-old Arab girl on two charges of attempted murder and possession of a knife.
According to the indictment, earlier this month the unidentified teenager confessed to attempting to stab two Jews in the Old City’s Jewish Quarter so she could “die a martyr.”
Police arrested her before she could stab her intended victims.
Meanwhile on Wednesday, at approximately 7:30 p.m., police arrested two Arab boys, aged 12 and 13, respectively, for carrying concealed switchblades with the intent of stabbing Jews in downtown Jerusalem.
Border Police officers spotted the youths behaving suspiciously at the intersection of Hahoma Hashlishit and Heil Hahandasa streets, Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said.
“The boys were seen by officers stationed in the area who thought they looked suspicious as they walked down the street with their hands in their pockets,” Rosenfeld said on Thursday.
“Police immediately responded by questioning them and searching their pockets, which uncovered two switchblades.”
Both suspects confessed to planning to attack Jews walking in the vicinity, and were placed under arrest, he said.
“Our units are continuing to carry out security measures that include patrolling public areas in order to prevent attacks from taking place by any terrorists or suspicious-looking individuals,” Rosenfeld added.
Numerous attacks in the capital have been committed by Palestinian youths as young as 11, which has created a dilemma for the State Attorney’s Office because the minimum age for legal prosecution is 12.
Pending a recent bill submitted by legislators to lower the minimum age of prosecution, the state may ultimately be forced to release all suspects under 12 to the custody of their parents.