Islam Issa - convicted
Photo: Naama Cohen Friedman
The victim: Aviv Morag
Reproduction photo: Muhammad Shinawi
TA Nakba day rampage driver convicted
Islam Issa convicted of terror, murder and six counts of attempted murder for vehicular rampage on Nakba day in 2011
The Tel Aviv District Court ruled on Thursday that Islam Issa,
from Kfar Qassem, committed an act of terror when on n Nakba day 2011 he carried out a terror attack
using his vehicle to go on rampage in Tel Aviv, killing Aviv Morag,
29 from Givatayim.
Issa was convicted of murder, six counts of attempted murder, aggravated assault and endangering human lives.
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In May 2011 Issa drove his truck on Bar Lev Street in Tel Aviv, left a path of destruction along the street. Aviv Morag was killed and at least 17 other were wounded.
The site of the attack (Photo: Yaron Brener)
The indictment mentioned that Issa tried to hit anyone who had an Israeli flag on their cars and a man dressed in IDF uniform.
The prosecution said the attack was nationalistically motivated and the ruling noted that this was clearly proven in the evidence. Calling out 'Allah Akbar' ("God is great") was used as an example.
"We gave credence to the witnesses for the prosecution and rejected the defendant's claims as his were inconsistent and illogical," the verdict stated.
"His actions and behavior indicate what his intentions were. He rammed into vehicles in his path without calling for help and so could not have intended anything but to kill people. His behavior was aggressive, there is a basis to convict him of attempted murder as he was acting in a deliberate manner," the verdict added.
The judges ruled unanimously that Issa knew that it was Nakba day and even talked about the subject with his brother in law yet when he was asked by police, denied it.
Issa had previously claimed that the attack occurred due to a flat tire and then stated that it was a result of a series of accidents.
David Morag, father of Aviv Morag who was killed in the vehicular terror, took his own life as a result and so his close friend said that Issa should have been convicted of two murders.
Attorney Yehoshua Reznik who represented Issa said after the reading of the verdict that the court had completely ignored a long line of doubts he raised in connection with Issa's intent to kill people. He added that there is room for deliberations over the matter in the appeal.
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