They allegedly wanted revenge for his role in previous kidnapping conviction.
By ETGAR LEFKOVITShandcuffs 88(photo credit: Courtesy)
Three Arab men involved in the kidnapping of an Israeli businessman four years ago are under arrest for allegedly planning to kidnap and murder a policeman who investigated the case, police announced
Wednesday.
The three suspects, including two Jerusalem Arabs, were apprehended on Sunday.
A court-imposed gag order, which was in place on the case was lifted late Wednesday afternoon.
The two key suspects in the case Abu Hamad Mohammed, 27, and his brother Abu Hamad Morad, 25, were originally arrested back in 2001 after kidnapping an Israeli businessman, Arieh Grabelsky, and demanding a million and half dollar ransom for his release.
Grabelsky, who was kidnapped outside his Jerusalem home, managed to escape before the ransom was paid.
Mohammed, who was sentenced to five years in jail, was released from prison three months ago, while his brother is still serving his 16-year jail sentence.
According to police, the two brothers, together with a third suspect, Nidal Asacara, 27 of the West Bank city of Bethlehem, planned to kidnap and murder one of the police investigators who was involved in investigating the 2001 kidnapping case in revenge for his part in
their conviction and imprisonment.
The three allegedly plotted to kidnap the now-retired police investigator from his home in northern Israel and bring him to the Bethlehem area where they planned to kill him, police said.
The three men also planned to carry out an attack on the Jerusalem police headquarters, police said.
The three suspects, who have refused to answer police questions, were remanded in the Jerusalem Magistrate's Court for five days earlier this week.