14 arrested for bombing, drugs,weapons, money-laundering ring in Jerusalem
Suspects part of criminal cell operating in Jerusalem.
By DANIEL K. EISENBUDUpdated: AUGUST 29, 2016 11:03Israel Police patrol car [File](photo credit: Wikimedia Commons)
One month after a failed criminal-related Jerusalem car bombing, police on Sunday announced arrests of two suspects from central Israel who attempted the murder and 12 of their cohorts in a drug, weapons and money-laundering ring.The explosion on the morning of July 27 near Liberty Bell Park, located in the vicinity of the Dan Panorama Hotel and King David Street, lightly wounded the car’s unidentified driver, who was treated at the hospital.Following an intensive investigation, police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said it was determined by a forensics team that the bomb was planted under the vehicle by two Arab-Israeli men from Jaljulya, near Kfar Saba.“They placed the bomb under a Jewish man’s vehicle and waited in Jerusalem until he walked out of his house and got into the car, and then detonated the explosive,” said Rosenfeld.“As part of the ongoing investigation the two suspects, and 12 other suspects involved in that criminal-related ring, were arrested during the first week of this month, 10 days after the explosive device went off. They were found with drugs, illegal money, a stolen vehicle and weapons.”While Rosenfeld said he could not comment on certain details of the investigation, he noted that the man whose car was targeted was somehow involved in the criminal enterprise.“The investigation is ongoing, but we’re talking about an organized underground criminal cell based in central Israel that operated in Jerusalem, that was involved in grievous bodily harm, drug dealing and money laundering,” he said.Rosenfeld added that all 14 suspects have been arraigned at Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court, where a judge ordered their remand amid the ongoing investigation.