Watch: Videos from Tel Aviv gunman's phone released; Shin Bet finds ISIS influence
Shin Bet releases new details on New Year's Day terror attack investigation; three associates of Nashat Milhem indicted.
By YONAH JEREMY BOB, YAAKOV LAPPINUpdated: JANUARY 27, 2016 14:23
Terrorist Nashat Milham, the Israeli Arab who opened fire on January 1 on civilians at a Tel Aviv bar, murdering two and injuring seven, had three accomplices who helped him hide after the attack, the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) said on Wednesday, releasing new details in its investigation, including videos found on his phone.Milhem lost his cell phone on the morning of the attack, and the intelligence agency analyzed videos stored in the device, before releasing them to the media on WednesdayThe videos show Milham discussing his hashish and marijuana consumption, and drinking habits.He then discusses extremist jihadist ideas, saying he accessed religious ideas to prepare himself for the attack, and expressing his hatred for "the enemies of Islam," defined as "Shi'ites, Christians and Jews."The Shin Bet said Milham used Islamic State, Salafi-jihadist terminology in the videos.The Haifa District Attorney’s Office on Wednesday filed an indictment with the city’s district court against three residents of the Israeli-Arab town of Arara for allegedly aiding Milhem.The shooting spree left two bar patrons and a taxi driver dead and paralyzed the nation, in particular the Tel Aviv area, for several days while a nation-wide manhunt was underway and due to concerns that Milhem intended to carry out more attacksMilhem’s associates were named as Amin Milhem, 23, Muhammad Milhem, 22, both relatives, and Ayoub Salama Rashid, 22, a friend of his.Milham planned and carried out the shooting alone, under the influence of Islamic State, Salafi-jihadist ideology, according to the Shin Bet investigation.After shooting dead Alon Bakal and Shimon Ruimi, Milhem, who was 31 and from the village of Arara in the North, fled the scene, and flagged down the first taxi he saw, which was driven by Lod resident Amin Sha'aban, an Israeli Arab citizen.
Milham rode in the taxi to a north Tel Aviv beach, near the Mandarin hotel, where he shot dead Sha'aban after the driver suspected him of being linked to the attack.The Shin Bet said he then got behind the wheel of the taxi, but abandoned it on Namir Road after having difficulties driving it. He continued northwards to the Wadi Ara region via public transportation.Milhem, who served time in prison from 2007 to 2013 for a previous attempt to snatch a weapon from an IDF soldier, planned and carried out the attack alone, the investigation found.The indictment described the roles of the three as follows: Amin found Nashat hiding in the storage shed next to his residence in Arara on January 3.The two hugged and Nashat told Amin about his terror attacks and his leaving behind symbols to show it was a religiously motivated attack.Nashat asked Amin to provide him with food and hashish.He further told Amin that he intended to carry out an additional terror attack in Afula, that he still had 32 bullets for his gun and he asked Amin to get him more bullets.Amin told him he would help Nashat, but wanted to carry out the next attack against the IDF base Camp 80, a basic training base near Pardes Chana.Next Muhammad met up with Nashat and Amin and he also agreed to help.At Nashat’s instruction, Muhammad left, purchased a new cellphone for Nashat and brought it to him.Next, Amin helped Nashat relocate his hiding spot at an abandoned residence near the storage shed.On January 4, around 7:00 p.m., Nashat met his friend Rashid in a public garden near the entrance to Arara and asked him to buy him cigarettes, which Rashid brought to him at the sasme spot on January 5 around 7:30 p.m.Rashid met multiple additional times with Nashat on January 6 to try to plan getting him more ammunition and discussed helping him with the next terror attack as well as whether to carry it out in Tel Aviv or in the North.They agreed to meet and carry out the attack on January 8, but on early January 7, Rashid’s father turned him into police, eventually assisting to locate Nashat on January 8 where he was killed during an operation to try to arrest him.When security forces arrived, Milhem exited his hideout with his firearm, opening fire on security forces and endangering their lives, the Shin Bet said. During exchanges of fire, he was shot and killed.Amin was charged with being an accomplice after the crime, covering up the crime, and an attempt to conspire to aid the enemy in time of war.Muhammad was charged with being an accomplice after the crime.Rashid was charged with being an accomplice after the crime, attempt to conspire to aid the enemy in time of war, attempting to commit a crime with a weapon and illegal threatening.