Police located a powerful explosive device in the “Ratatouille” restaurant located in southern Israel, Israel Police reported on Saturday evening. The device was located and disarmed on Thursday, leading to a covert investigation that was embargoed until Saturday night.
The charge was disarmed before it had a chance to be activated, and according to the police, the background to the incident is the entanglement of the owner of the establishment with one of the largest criminal organizations in the south.
The charge was attached to the entrance to the business and if it had exploded, it could have caused serious civilian casualties, according to police.
The powerful charge was most likely either placed and not activated to threaten the business owner, or was placed with the intention of activating it when the restaurant is closed, causing property damage to the business owner.
“There is a real fear that if the restaurant operates as usual, the same criminal and people on his behalf will again try to harm the owners of the place – something that will result in the harming innocent people,” claims a police official.
Ratatouille shut down
Police reported that “after carrying out all the considerations and balances between maintaining public safety and preventing injury to human life, and the restaurant owner’s personal involvement in the conflict, it was decided to hold an administrative hearing for the man.”
During the hearing, the business was ordered to close pursuant to section 23 of the Business Licensing Law for 15 days, in order to maintain the safety of the public, and in order to prevent further incidents that could put the residents of the area in real danger.
Police are currently conducting an investigation, but no suspects have been arrested as of yet.