Israel Prison Service head: warden killing was a terrorist attack

The Commissioner of Prisons, Rabbi Kobi Yaacobi, commented today (Monday) on the arrest of the terrorist suspected of murdering Yohai in his home in the West Bank settlement of Givon Hahadash, stating: "I congratulate the Israel Police and the Shin Bet for the professional, determined action that brought about the arrest of the suspected murderer of Yochai Avni."

He stated that he spoke with the family members of the prison officer, and together with the Israel Police officials, they informed them of the details of the incident and of the arrest of the suspect. "This is a vile individual known to the Shin Bet as a security detainee associated with Hamas, who committed the murder with the brutality that characterizes our enemy."

Yacobi said, "although the characteristics of the incident don't show anything connected with the deceased's work as a prison officer, in my opinion this is an act of terrorism and a serious and severe act of hostility carried out by a terrorist and I call for him to be punished with the utmost severity."

* Channel 14 News contributed to this report.