Gifted Rahat teen killed in assault 'by jealous classmates'

2 suspects arrested; "We don't think teens intended to kill Abu-Siam, but rather, their attack spun out of control," police tell 'Post'.

By YAAKOV LAPPIN
Police 311 (photo credit: Channel 2 [file])
Police 311
(photo credit: Channel 2 [file])
A deadly assault on a 17-year-old teenager from the Beduin town of Rahat was launched by two classmates who were envious of his high grades, police suspect.
The two suspects, both minors who were in the same class as the murder victim, were arrested on Saturday.
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The charred remains of Kayis Abu-Siam were discovered in an open area behind a gas station by Negev police on Friday. Relatives and schoolteachers described Abu-Siam as an extremely bright student.
"We believe that the suspects were jealous of his success in school, and assaulted him," a police source told The Jerusalem Post.
"We don't think the teens intended to kill Abu-Siam, but rather, their attack spun out of control," the source added.
After Abu-Siam was killed, police believe, the teens tried to hide all evidence of their attack and set fire to his body in a clearing.
The body was identified on Friday by the boy's father and brother, who recognized Abu-Siam's shoes.
"The people who carried out this murder are animals, not people," Abu-Siam's father, Saber, told Maariv on Saturday.
"I don't understand how a kid can be murdered with such cruelty. He didn't harm anyone. We can't believe something like this happened," he added.
Police first arrested a woman in her mid-30s after the body's discovery, but she was released on Saturday.
Homicide detectives then focused their attention on Abu-Siam's classmates, and the investigation zeroed in on two minors who were believed to have carried out the lethal assault.