Israeli prosecutors have filed charges against three men in connection with a botched assassination attempt in the southern coastal city of Ashdod that endangered innocent civilians.
The State Attorney's Office submitted two indictments to the Beersheba District Court against Matan Arbiv, 29, from Hadera; Avitar Zerach Yacobi, 34, from Rosh HaAyin; and Netai Legami, 22, from Elad. According to the charging documents filed by prosecutor Alex Drenboim from the Southern District Attorney's Office, the three men conspired to kill an individual using an explosive device attached to his vehicle.
The plot, which authorities say stemmed from an ongoing dispute, involved sophisticated planning including GPS tracking devices, motorcycles for mobility, and a remotely detonated bomb. Investigators installed tracking equipment on two vehicles and monitored their locations through a mobile phone application.
Early on the morning of July 1, Legami and two accomplices rode motorcycles from Tira to Ashdod carrying the explosive device. When they located one of the tracked vehicles parked on a residential street, Legami crawled beneath it and attached the bomb, which was equipped for remote detonation. Yacobi later provided Legami with a rental car to assist in executing the plan.
That afternoon, Legami and another individual drove through Ashdod streets tracking the targeted vehicle, waiting for the right moment to trigger the device. However, a different person was driving the car at the time. As the vehicle moved through the city, the explosive fell off onto the roadway without the driver noticing.
Two minutes later, the conspirators remotely detonated the bomb in the middle of the street. The explosion tore a crater in the asphalt, damaged two parked vehicles, and shattered windows in nearby homes and buildings. Several residents suffered hearing damage from the blast's intensity.
Immediately after the detonation, Legami and his companion fled the area and returned to Tira, where Arbiv and Yacobi were waiting. When police arrived at the scene, Arbiv escaped and evaded capture initially, while Legami and Yacobi were apprehended. The suspects later burned items used in the attack and concealed them in a pit near Yacobi's home in an attempt to obstruct the investigation.
Prosecutors have requested that all three defendants be held in custody until the conclusion of legal proceedings.
The indictment charges Arbiv and Legami with attempted murder, carrying and transporting weapons, obstruction of justice, and causing damage with explosives. Yacobi faces charges of aiding attempted murder, aiding in weapons transport, obstruction of justice, aiding in causing damage with explosives, and interfering with a police officer in the performance of duty.
The case was investigated by the Central Unit of the Lachish District police. Deputy Commissioner Shahar Levi, commander of the Lachish District's investigative unit, stated that "the Central Unit of the Lachish District views with utmost severity any attempt to use combat means and explosive devices in the heart of populated areas. These are incidents with lethal potential that could endanger the lives of innocent people."
The commander added that "thanks to professional, determined and uncompromising activity by our investigators and detectives, we succeeded in reaching the suspects, building an evidentiary foundation and bringing about the filing of an indictment. We will continue to act with all the tools at our disposal against violent criminal elements, with the goal of safeguarding public security and strengthening residents' sense of safety."
