An 18-year-old suspect has been remanded in custody for a further week on suspicion of setting fire to a Gefen supermarket branch in Givatayim, central Israel. The district court ruled that “various pieces of evidence are interconnected and significantly strengthen the reasonable suspicion against him.”
The case centres on a fire at the store, with security footage capturing someone on an electric scooter near the scene. The suspect’s lawyer challenged the police’s identification of his client as the scooter rider visible in the camera footage, questioning what evidence underpins that connection.
A police representative told the court that additional evidence would be presented to support their case as proceedings continue. The remarks suggest investigators have compiled multiple lines of evidence rather than relying solely on the CCTV footage.
The timing of the arrest is significant, with the suspect reportedly due to be conscripted into military service in the coming weeks. Under Israeli law, individuals aged 18 and above are subject to compulsory military service, though criminal proceedings can delay or prevent induction.
Source: Ynet — Original article in Hebrew.
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