Exclusive: 3 Palestinian minors indicted for Rami Levy stabbing spree, murder of Tuvia Weissman
Military court orders all three detained until the end of their trials.
By YONAH JEREMY BOBUpdated: MARCH 11, 2016 01:12IDF Sgt. Tuvia Yanai Weissman (R), his wife, and baby(photo credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT)
Three Palestinians minors were indicted in the Judea Military Court on Thursday for the February 18 stabbing spree in which Sgt. Tuvia Yanai Weissman was murdered.The three youths’ names, ages and hometowns are under a gag order. Two were charged with murder and two counts of attempted murder. The third was charged with being an accomplice to murder.If convicted as an accomplice, the sentence may be as severe as that meted out for murder. All three have been remanded until the end of their trial.In the attacks at the Rami Levy supermarket in Sha’ar Binyamin in the eastern Binyamin region industrial area, the three allegedly murdered Weissman and wounded a second man. Weissman, 21, served in the Nahal Brigade and was the father of a baby girl.Hearing shouts, an armed civilian rushed toward the location of the attack. Opening fire, he seriously wounded one of the terrorists who later succumbed to his wounds.Weissman, who lived in Ma’aleh Michmash, was off-duty at the time of the attack. He was rushed to Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem where he was pronounced dead.The second victim, a resident of Tel Zion next to Kochav Ya’acov, was sent to Hadassah-University Medical Center at Mount Scopus, where doctors listed him as moderately wounded and in stable condition.Magen David Adom paramedic David Vakselboim said afterward, “When we got to the scene we saw, among the supermarket aisles, a 35-yearold man who was fully conscious with multiple stab wounds to his body.”The supermarket is frequented by both Israeli and Palestinian customers. Both Jews and Muslims work at the branch.Eyewitnesses said the terrorists had been wandering around the store for some time before beginning their attack.
President Reuven Rivlin at the time offered his comfort to the bereaved family, and his prayers for the wounded.“A man returns from his day at work, stops to buy groceries for the Sabbath, and is taken away forever by murderous villains,” Rivlin said.“We will stand strong and respond firmly to restore calm and normality to the lives of our citizens everywhere. We will defeat terrorism.”“At this time of anguish and heartache, I wish to offer comfort to the bereaved family, and my prayers for the quick recovery of the wounded,” the president said.Yaakov Lappin and Jerusalem Post staff contributed to this report.