Detention of alleged killer’s brother reduced by court; police warn public to be alert as hunt for ‘dangerous’ suspect continues
The father of the Arab Israeli gunman who allegedly shot dead two people in Tel Aviv on Friday was summoned again for questioning by security forces on Sunday, as police continued to probe the family for clues to help find the killer.
Alleged killer Nashat Milhem was still at large Sunday night — more than two days after the attack on Dizengoff Street. One of his sisters was also questioned over the attack.
Juadat Milhem, his brother, was arrested on Friday, and was also being questioned on suspicion of involvement in the attack.
But a Haifa court reduced his remand, and he was set to be freed on Monday or Tuesday. His lawyer said Juadat had nothing to do with the attack.
The father, police volunteer Muhammad Milhem, recognized his son in video footage of t
he attack, and called the police. The weapon used in the attack was stolen from the father’s safe at home.
Milhem’s family have been told by the authorities to contact them immediately if he tries to make contact with them, and warned that they will be considered accomplices to murder if they fail to do so.
The family home in the Arara village in Wadi Ara, northern Israel, was swarmed by police after the gunman was identified. Security forces seized a number of items from the home, including at least one computer, as part of the investigation.
A massive hunt continued throughout Sunday for Nashat Milhem, who fled immediately after the attack.
Police are now certain he also killed cab driver Amin Shaaban, a father of 11 from Lod who was found murdered in north Tel Aviv an hour after the attack.
“Do not hesitate to immediately report to the [police] hotline any information or suspicions connected to the incident,” the police said Sunday. The police also said that there has been a 1,000-percent increase in the number of calls they have received.
The police have no leads on Milhem’s whereabouts, Channel 2 reported Sunday, amid a row over which officers were authorized to issue updates to the public. Police Commissioner Roni Alsheich is reportedly refusing permission for Tel Aviv police chief Bentzi Sau to make statements about the hunt for Milhem. Sau was interim police commissioner until Alsheich’s appointment late last year.
As reported by The Times of Israel