Two terrorists linked to Shmerling murder indicted

In the investigation, the attackers said their plan was "to carry out a stabbing attack against Jews."

By UDI SHAHAM
Updated: OCTOBER 30, 2017 03:52
Reuven Shmerling. (photo credit: Courtesy)
Reuven Shmerling.
(photo credit: Courtesy)
The prosecutor’s office indicted two terrorists on Sunday who allegedly murdered Reuven Shmerling earlier this month in Kafr Kasim.
Yousef Kamil, 20, and Muhammad Abu al-Rob, 19, both residents of the West Bank village of Kabatiya near Jenin, were indicted for murder and illegal entrance into Israel.
According to the indictment, the two entered Israel on September for working purposes. Kamil was planning to take advantage of his stay to carry out an attack, and asked Abu al-Rob to join him.
The two, who worked at Shmerling’s coal storage in Kafr Kasim, bought a large knife and carried out the attack on October 4.
They asked him to follow them into an isolated room, where they hit him with a fan and stabbed him multiple times.
Prosecutor Sharon Mishal asked to extend their remand, saying that “they intentionally killed him [Shmerling], in a very planned, cruel and violent way.
“They attacked, stabbed and hit the 70-year-old deceased, and only once he was lying down on the floor, bleeding to death, did they take a shower, change their clothes and leave the place – leaving him to die,” she said.
The indictment came after a joint effort between the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) and the Israel Police, who located, arrested and questioned the two.
During the investigation, the two said their motive was to avenge the death of their friend who was killed during an attempted stabbing attack next to the Jalame checkpoint in the northern West Bank, due to what they called, “The situation at the al-Aksa mosque.”
They said that their plan was “to carry out a stabbing attack against Jews.”