Police arrest Akko driver
Taufik Jamal, whose drive through Jewish neighborhood sparked Yom Kippur riots, arrested for reckless endangerment
Police arrested Monday a man they hold responsible for sparking the Akko riots over Yom Kippur. The Akko Magistrate's Court has remanded him for five days.
During the five days since the outbreak of the riots between Jews and Arabs in Akko, police received witness testimony from residents of the east Akko neighborhood who stated that driver Taufik Jamal was driving at an unreasonably fast pace and almost hit several Jewish pedestrians on their way back from synagogue.
Jamal denied that he was speeding and also that he was playing provocatively loud music as witnesses claimed.
Police commander Shimon Koren, head of the northern division, explained that the driver was arrested today after a thorough examination caused police to suspect that Jamal's behavior had constituted reckless endangerment.
There were rumors around the city that Jamal's son was actually the one behind the wheel, rumors that the police have dismissed. Jamal's son, who had been detained, has been released.
