On Thursday 19 Teves it was cleared to report that two Israeli Arabs have been arrested and indicted for planning a bomb attack in Eilat’s Rio Hotel.

Indictments were filed against Halil Nimri and Ashraf Silaima in the Beersheva District Court. The two, Israeli citizens, worked in the hotel and they planned to place a bomb in the hotel but B’chasdei Hashem their actions alerted other employees, who contacted hotel security and thereby averting the attack.

Two months ago they met in one of their homes and decided to carry out the bombing attack with one telling interrogators he wanted to avenge the death of a friend, referring to a terrorist killed in an October 4, 2015 Jerusalem stabbing attack, which was Hoshana Rabba.

It is also reported that Halil first suggested murdering a religious Jew in a stabbing attack but Ashraf explained to him that they are too likely to be caught in such an attack and they feel this would diminish what they tried to accomplish. They then decided on the placement of a bomb in the hotel.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)