Israeli-Arab Terrorist From Haifa Indicted for Killing in 2017

A Haifa court on Tuesday convicted Mohammed Shinawi, an Arab terrorist from Haifa who murdered Guy Kafri, 47, H”yd, at the beginning of 2017. After an extensive inquiry by Shin Bet officials, it emerged that the shooting was terrorist in nature. Kafri’s murderer, Mohammed Shinawi, told investigators that he had shot Kafri and others because of his hatred of Jews. The court said in its verdict Tuesday that Shinawi was guilty of cold-blooded murder, regardless of his motivations.

Shinawi went on a shooting spree in the streets of Haifa, shooting at three people. Besides Kafri, he also shot and injured Harav Yechiel Ilouz, a Dayan who served in a Haifa beis din. He also shot at another woman who was pushing a baby stroller, but missed. Shinawi, with the assistance of two friends, traveled to several spots in Haifa’s lower city and conducted the shootings. He later turned himself into police, telling them that he felt they were “closing in” on him. The two shootings took place about a kilometer away from each other.

Police initially did not find any connection between Shinawi and Islamism, but it later emerged that he had been active in arson attacks during the second Lebanon war, setting fire to vehicles and buildings owned by Jews. He had become more radical in recent years, investigators added, to the extent that he saw murdering Jews as a religious Muslim duty.

Indictments were handed down against Shinawi and his two compatriots, Khaled Abu Kaliv and Ahab Yussuf, on a variety of charges, including murder, conspiracy to commit terror attacks, attempted murder, illegal weapons possessions, and others. Shinawi was convicted on all counts by the court on Tuesday.

Sentencing will take place at a later date.