Dichter instructs police to work towards demolishing terrorist's home
Internal security minister says Israel as no legal authority to take down mourners' tent in honor of Jerusalem terrorist, but orders police to work toward tearing down family home
Internal Security Minister Avi Dichter has instructed police on Wednesday to work towards demolishing the Jerusalem home of Alaa Abu Dheim, the terrorist that killed eight in an attack on the Maercaz Harav rabbinical seminary last week.
Police appealed to the Defense Ministry in order to verify what legal steps must be put into place in order to allow the demolition.
Earlier Dichter said Israel could not determine that the mourners' tent in honor of the shooter was set up by a terror organization, and therefore has no legal authority to shut it down.
According to the minister, eight of the terrorist's relatives were questioned after Hamas and Hizbullah flags were diplayed outside the family home in the east Jerusalem neighborhood of Jabel Mukaber. He added that some of them are still in custody.
"The (terrorist's) father denied having any connection to the flags and worked to have them taken down immediately," Dichter said.
Referring to the possibility that the family's home would be torn down, Dichter said "the demolition of any home, particularly in Jerusalem, requires several legal examinations. I hope that eventually the justice system will allow such a move, but without its authorization we cannot carry it out."
Dichter also disclosed additional details from the shooting attack that left eight Israelis dead: "The terrorist (Alaa Abu Dheim) pulled out a Kalashnikov assault rifle from a box and began firing all over the place. At a certain point he entered the library and continued to shoot; eight students died as a result. The students ran for cover; some were able to hide in another room within the library, while others were slaughtered.
"A civilian in possession of a licensed gun and an IDF officer who was dispatched to the scene shot the terrorist; police officers who arrived later also opened fire at him. After the incident, the terrorist's car was found locked about a 100 feet from the seminary. According to the investigation, the entrance to the seminary from Ben Dor street, was neither locked nor secure, allowing the terrorist to enter freely. During the incident a security guard was positioned at the young yeshiva, located two floors up and on the other side of the complex."
