Discredited state witness in LGBT youth club attack accused of string of robberies
Zaor Hankishayev is suspected of stealing wallets from elderly people; his evidence in Bar Noar case led to charges against a suspect that were later dropped
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A state witness in an unsolved shooting rampage at an LGBT youth club in Tel Aviv over a decade ago, whose evidence was later found to be false, has been arrested on suspicion of committing a string of robberies, law enforcement officials said Thursday.
Zaor Hankishayev is suspected of stealing wallets from several elderly people, as well as stealing and abandoning a number of vehicles.
Hankishayev, who now goes by the name Ziv Chen, was arrested Wednesday, allegedly after he was seen stealing a bag from an elderly man in Bnei Brak. He was detained near his home and was found to be in possession of the victim’s phone.
Hankishayev appeared in court in Bnei Brak on Thursday, where his detention was extended for five days.
Hankishayev was a state witness in the case of the 2015 attack on the Bar Noar youth club, in which two people were killed and 11 injured. Despite a widespread investigation, police have yet to figure out who committed the crime, or why.
A masked, black-clad gunman entered the youth club on Saturday night, August 1, 2009, and opened fire, killing Liz Trobishi, 16, and Nir Katz, 29.
Ten others were wounded, including two who were left permanently disabled.
In July 2013, based on testimony from Hankishayev, police indicted Hagai Felician for the murders. He was held in detention for the next eight months as the indictment and investigation against him progressed.
But the case unraveled when police concluded Hankishayev’s testimony was false.
The charges against Felician were dropped and he was awarded NIS 2.2 million (roughly $580,000 at the time) in damages after suing the state. He cannot be tried a second time, even if new evidence surfaces tying him to the case.
Prosecutors then filed an indictment against Hankishayev on charges of obstruction of justice and giving false testimony.
Hankishayev was previously arrested in 2020 on suspicion of blackmailing a man with whom he had relations. The report said Hankishayev threatened to distribute intimate pictures of the man if he did not pay him.
The Times of Israel Community.