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| Palestinian Youth Who Was Abducted and Killed Struggled to Stay Alive, Indictment Says | |
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| JERUSALEM — In the moments before he was kidnapped at dawn on July 2, Muhammad Abu Khdeir, 16, suddenly sensed that there was something suspicious about the two casually dressed Jewish teenagers who were asking him directions. He tried to move away and call a friend, then shouted and struggled as the two youths forced him into a waiting car driven by an adult relative, according to court documents released on Thursday. | JERUSALEM — In the moments before he was kidnapped at dawn on July 2, Muhammad Abu Khdeir, 16, suddenly sensed that there was something suspicious about the two casually dressed Jewish teenagers who were asking him directions. He tried to move away and call a friend, then shouted and struggled as the two youths forced him into a waiting car driven by an adult relative, according to court documents released on Thursday. |
| The three Israelis who the authorities say abducted and killed Muhammad, a Palestinian teenager whose burned body was found about an hour later in a Jerusalem forest, have so far remained nameless and faceless, their identities withheld by the authorities. | The three Israelis who the authorities say abducted and killed Muhammad, a Palestinian teenager whose burned body was found about an hour later in a Jerusalem forest, have so far remained nameless and faceless, their identities withheld by the authorities. |
| But an indictment for murder presented by state prosecutors in a closed Jerusalem courtroom on Thursday shed some light on their backgrounds and motives, as well as on the agonizing last hour of Muhammad’s life and the struggle he put up against his kidnappers. | But an indictment for murder presented by state prosecutors in a closed Jerusalem courtroom on Thursday shed some light on their backgrounds and motives, as well as on the agonizing last hour of Muhammad’s life and the struggle he put up against his kidnappers. |
| The adult suspect, 29, has an eyeglass store in Jerusalem, lives in a West Bank settlement between Jerusalem and Ramallah and has been treated with psychiatric drugs for years, suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder, among other illnesses, the indictment says. The teenagers, both 16, one a yeshiva student and the other a yeshiva dropout, would often socialize with their older relative and help him out in the store. | The adult suspect, 29, has an eyeglass store in Jerusalem, lives in a West Bank settlement between Jerusalem and Ramallah and has been treated with psychiatric drugs for years, suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder, among other illnesses, the indictment says. The teenagers, both 16, one a yeshiva student and the other a yeshiva dropout, would often socialize with their older relative and help him out in the store. |
| Muhammad’s death, which came after the abduction and killing of three Israeli teenagers in the West Bank, led to riots in East Jerusalem and in Arab towns across Israel. It raised questions about the spread of extremist Jewish groups or about a new, right-wing terrorist underground. The authorities have said Muhammad was killed in a racist revenge attack. | Muhammad’s death, which came after the abduction and killing of three Israeli teenagers in the West Bank, led to riots in East Jerusalem and in Arab towns across Israel. It raised questions about the spread of extremist Jewish groups or about a new, right-wing terrorist underground. The authorities have said Muhammad was killed in a racist revenge attack. |
| The three defendants, from ultra-Orthodox backgrounds, may have been influenced by the anti-Arab ideology known as “price tag” espoused by nationalists on the fringes of the settlement movement, or by extremist rabbis. Israel’s Ministry of Defense announced on Thursday that it recognized Muhammad as a “victim of terrorism” because of the “nationalistic motive” for the attack. The designation entitles Muhammad’s family to the same compensation and benefits received by Israeli victims of Palestinian terrorism. | The three defendants, from ultra-Orthodox backgrounds, may have been influenced by the anti-Arab ideology known as “price tag” espoused by nationalists on the fringes of the settlement movement, or by extremist rabbis. Israel’s Ministry of Defense announced on Thursday that it recognized Muhammad as a “victim of terrorism” because of the “nationalistic motive” for the attack. The designation entitles Muhammad’s family to the same compensation and benefits received by Israeli victims of Palestinian terrorism. |
| But a security official with knowledge of the investigation said the defendants had no links to any group, came from ordinary families and had no serious criminal past. “They may have had personal problems,” the official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity in line with his agency’s protocol, adding that they clearly harbored a “deep hatred of Arabs.” | But a security official with knowledge of the investigation said the defendants had no links to any group, came from ordinary families and had no serious criminal past. “They may have had personal problems,” the official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity in line with his agency’s protocol, adding that they clearly harbored a “deep hatred of Arabs.” |
| The picture that emerges from the charge sheet presented by state prosecutors is one of amateurish and clumsy killers acting on their own initiative. They argued among themselves during the attack. The adult, who was driving the car, almost left one of the teenagers behind in the forest in his hurry to flee the scene. | The picture that emerges from the charge sheet presented by state prosecutors is one of amateurish and clumsy killers acting on their own initiative. They argued among themselves during the attack. The adult, who was driving the car, almost left one of the teenagers behind in the forest in his hurry to flee the scene. |
| After a largely inept effort to destroy evidence, some of it in a public park in central Jerusalem, the three went back to the adult’s home in the settlement of Adam, played the guitar and went to sleep. The car, picked up on security cameras along the route of the kidnapping, was parked outside. | After a largely inept effort to destroy evidence, some of it in a public park in central Jerusalem, the three went back to the adult’s home in the settlement of Adam, played the guitar and went to sleep. The car, picked up on security cameras along the route of the kidnapping, was parked outside. |
| A statutory order prevents the release of the names of the two teenagers or the exact way in which they are related to the adult. The adult’s lawyers have appealed to stop the release of his name, arguing that other family members fear for their safety. | A statutory order prevents the release of the names of the two teenagers or the exact way in which they are related to the adult. The adult’s lawyers have appealed to stop the release of his name, arguing that other family members fear for their safety. |
| One of the teenagers lived in the ultra-Orthodox Jerusalem neighborhood of Har Nof, the other in the town of Beit Shemesh. The yeshiva dropout abandoned his studies around the beginning of the year and worked in a toy store for a few months, but had intended to go back to his studies. He, too, suffers from obsessive-compulsive disorder and was on psychiatric medication, according to the court documents. | One of the teenagers lived in the ultra-Orthodox Jerusalem neighborhood of Har Nof, the other in the town of Beit Shemesh. The yeshiva dropout abandoned his studies around the beginning of the year and worked in a toy store for a few months, but had intended to go back to his studies. He, too, suffers from obsessive-compulsive disorder and was on psychiatric medication, according to the court documents. |
| Besides the slaying of Muhammad, the adult defendant and the yeshiva dropout have also been charged with trying to kidnap a Palestinian boy in the same area of East Jerusalem the night before Muhammad’s abduction, and with assaulting the boy and his mother. They have also been charged in connection with car fires in another East Jerusalem neighborhood and with burning a Palestinian-owned store in Hizmeh, not far from Adam, after a dispute over a purchase. | Besides the slaying of Muhammad, the adult defendant and the yeshiva dropout have also been charged with trying to kidnap a Palestinian boy in the same area of East Jerusalem the night before Muhammad’s abduction, and with assaulting the boy and his mother. They have also been charged in connection with car fires in another East Jerusalem neighborhood and with burning a Palestinian-owned store in Hizmeh, not far from Adam, after a dispute over a purchase. |
| According to the indictment, the revenge spree began on July 1, the night after the bodies of the three Israeli teenagers, Eyal Yifrach, 19, Gilad Shaar, 16, and Naftali Fraenkel, 16, were found in the West Bank after an 18-day search. The events continued on July 2, after their funerals. The charge sheet details the defendants’ hourslong hunt in the dark for a “weak” victim in the streets of East Jerusalem, until they came across Muhammad. | According to the indictment, the revenge spree began on July 1, the night after the bodies of the three Israeli teenagers, Eyal Yifrach, 19, Gilad Shaar, 16, and Naftali Fraenkel, 16, were found in the West Bank after an 18-day search. The events continued on July 2, after their funerals. The charge sheet details the defendants’ hourslong hunt in the dark for a “weak” victim in the streets of East Jerusalem, until they came across Muhammad. |
| The adult had provided the teenagers with contact lenses to replace their glasses, and they changed out of their ultra-Orthodox garb, including their skullcaps, to arouse less suspicion. They had removed a baby seat from the back of the adult’s car to make room for the victim and equipped themselves with a wrench, cable ties and bottles filled with gasoline. | The adult had provided the teenagers with contact lenses to replace their glasses, and they changed out of their ultra-Orthodox garb, including their skullcaps, to arouse less suspicion. They had removed a baby seat from the back of the adult’s car to make room for the victim and equipped themselves with a wrench, cable ties and bottles filled with gasoline. |
| After being dragged forcefully into the back of the car, Muhammad struggled with the teenagers as the car sped toward the forest. After Muhammad kicked one of them in the head, he was told he would pay for that. The driver shouted, “Finish him off.” The minors tried to strangle Muhammad, who eventually lost consciousness, according to court documents. | After being dragged forcefully into the back of the car, Muhammad struggled with the teenagers as the car sped toward the forest. After Muhammad kicked one of them in the head, he was told he would pay for that. The driver shouted, “Finish him off.” The minors tried to strangle Muhammad, who eventually lost consciousness, according to court documents. |
| Once they reached the forest, the 16-year-olds complained that they were “doing all the work.” The adult took the wrench and hit Muhammad on the head twice, shouting after each blow, “This is for the Fogel family,” referring to a brutal 2011 attack in which Palestinians killed five members of a family in the settlement of Itamar, and, “This is for Shalhevet Pass,” referring to the 2001 killing of an infant by a Palestinian sniper in Hebron. | Once they reached the forest, the 16-year-olds complained that they were “doing all the work.” The adult took the wrench and hit Muhammad on the head twice, shouting after each blow, “This is for the Fogel family,” referring to a brutal 2011 attack in which Palestinians killed five members of a family in the settlement of Itamar, and, “This is for Shalhevet Pass,” referring to the 2001 killing of an infant by a Palestinian sniper in Hebron. |
| The driver then kicked Muhammad three times, saying, “That’s for Eyal,” “That’s for Gilad” and “That’s for Naftali.” | The driver then kicked Muhammad three times, saying, “That’s for Eyal,” “That’s for Gilad” and “That’s for Naftali.” |
| The driver and one of the teenagers then poured gasoline over Muhammad and set him afire with a lighter while he was unconscious. | The driver and one of the teenagers then poured gasoline over Muhammad and set him afire with a lighter while he was unconscious. |
| The other teenager remained in the car during the killing. According to the charge sheet, his older relative had told him that he did not have to take part in the act and to look away “so he would not be left emotionally scarred.” | The other teenager remained in the car during the killing. According to the charge sheet, his older relative had told him that he did not have to take part in the act and to look away “so he would not be left emotionally scarred.” |