Israeli convicted for aiding assassin

by ALJ

Tue, May 24, 2005 7:57PM

An Israeli man has been convicted of aiding an attempt to kill an Israeli Arab lawmaker and carrying out eight other bomb attacks against Arab targets in the port city of Haifa.

According to the Tuesday's ruling, Alexander Rabinovich, 22, supplied Eliran Golan, the main suspect in the case, with the explosives that were used to manufacture the homemade bombs.

Rabinovich was convicted of four counts, including assisting an attempted murder, conspiracy, arms dealing and arms manufacturing. He faces up to 20 years in prison.

Golan, the main suspect whose trial has been postponed until a ruling is made on his mental capacity to stand trial, is accused of targeting Arabs in the city of Haifa, including a bomb placed in a mosque, and an attempt to kill lawmaker Isam Makhul.

A small bomb exploded under Makhul's car in October 2003, without causing injuries, when his wife started the vehicle. Makhul was not in the car.

Three people were slightly wounded in the other attacks, including a small boy who found one of the bombs.

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/483BF1D4-F675-434F-84D4-29AC7FC81B36.htm

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§more

by more

Tue, May 24, 2005 8:00PM

Alex Rabinovitch, 24, was convicted at the Haifa district court on Tuesday of aiding and abetting so-called Jewish underground suspect Eliran Golan to carry out bomb attacks against Israeli Arabs.

Rabinovitch, of Haifa, was found guilty of assisting in the making of bombs, weapons trafficking and aiding attempted murder.

According to the charges, Rabinovitch and Golan became friends after studying together at a local high school.

Rabinovitch was serving in the Artillery Corps at the time that Golan told him of his plans to form an organization, "Mador Ahad," to hit Israeli Arabs.

Golan asked his friend for help in providing explosives so he could carry out attacks against Israeli Arabs who, in his opinion, were aiding Palestinian terrorists. The offences occurred at the height of the wave of Palestinian suicide bombings and terror attacks against Israeli civilians throughout the country.

Rabinovitch agreed to help and supplied Golan with explosives and ammunition he stole from his army base, which Golan used to make bombs and other devices.

One of these was planted under the car of Hadash MK Issam Makhoul outside the family's home in Haifa's Central Carmel district in October 2003.

The device exploded as Makhoul's wife was reversing the car off the driveway en route to collect their children from school. She was unhurt in the blast but the car was badly damaged.

In an earlier incident, Golan planted a bomb at a mosque in Haifa Halissa district in which three people, a man, woman and child, were lightly wounded.

Police, when they arrested Golan, found a large quantity of weapons and explosives devices hidden at his home. Some of the armaments had IDF markings.

Rabinovitch admitted stealing the weapons and explosives and supplying them to his friend, in the knowledge that Golan intended to use them in attacks against Israeli Arabs.

Sentencing is to be carried out at the district court in two months time. Golan has been indicted but has yet to stand trial because of debates over whether he is mentally fit.

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1116901692554

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§Solidarity

by Valley

Wed, May 25, 2005 1:39AM

Solidarity and support to all those who turned out for Mr. Her. As a former valley resident, I can fully attest to the discrimination against all people of color, especially those who are newer immigrant groups.

Keep up the fight! Your strength is in your unity!

Thank for the update.

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