Soldiers near the attack in Barkan
Soldiers near the attack in BarkanFlash 90

The military court in Judea has convicted Ahmad Abda of failing to prevent the attack in Barkan, after he confessed to the crime.

The hearing was attended by Rafi Lebengrund, the father of Kim Lebengrund Yehezkel, who was murdered in the attack, as well as Adv. Haim Bleicher of the Honenu organization who represented the victim of the crime.

The indictment against Abda states that he knew about the intention of the terrorist Ashraf Na'alwa to carry out an attack, and did not prevent it. About a month before the attack, Na'alwa shared hs plan for an attack at his workplace where he would as a Shahid, using the weapon he had purchased.

The terrorist Na'alwa then told Abda that he managed to enter his workplace in the Barkan industrial area while armed, and was not apprehended. Na'alwa later even showed Abda the weapon, told him that he had made a will, talked on the phone with an ammunition supplier for the weapon near Abda and more.

Only three days before the attack, Na'alwa described to Abda that "he would gather several Jewish workers together and kill them together by firing the 'Carlo' weapon, because it would be easier for him to murder more Jews like that." Na'alwa shared with Abda his plans for his escape (if he did not die) including the location of a cave where he planned to hide, so that Abda could help him when needed.

Abda and Na'alwa met daily in the days leading up to the attack, discussing Na'alwa's will and more. The night before the attack, the terrorist sent a message to Abda saying that he will: "explode like a righteous man's vassal." The next day, Na'alwa carried out the attack in the Barkan industrial zone in which he murdered Kim Lebengrund Yehezkel and the late Ziv Hajabi.

Despite all the opportunities before him, "the defendant did not act in any reasonable way to prevent the Ashraf act, which, as stated, caused the deaths of two Israeli citizens and the attempt to cause the death of another civilian," the indictment reads.

At the hearing, Abda admitted everything attributed to him, and was convicted of failing to prevent the attack. A discussion of arguments for punishment will take place later.

Advocate Haim Bleicher said at the end of the hearing, "The families of the murdered will the defendant be given the maximum possible sentence. In addition, compensation will be required from the defendant due to the damages caused to the families. In the next stage, we will require the authorities to increase the punishment in the military law for not preventing terrorist attacks, in order to increase deterrence. This is a necessary step to stop terrorism, a life-saving step. "