In video, masked assailants open fire on two men swimming in Jordan River
Attackers film themselves ambushing pair of swimmers, torching their car; victims escape unharmed; police investigation underway
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A group of masked assailants opened fire on two men swimming in the Jordan River on Friday, then torched their car.
The police launched an investigation and made one arrest, Channel 12 news reported Saturday.
The attack was filmed by the attackers themselves and took place in a hilly, secluded area in northern Israel. There are at least three attackers seen in the video whose voices seem to be disguised, rendering all dialogue unintelligible.
In the clip, the assailants arrive at the bank of the river and fire several times at two men mid-swim. It is unclear whether they aimed to actually kill the swimmers; one bullet strikes the water a couple of meters from one of the men. The attackers then run to a white sedan that appears to belong to the swimmers. They smash the car’s windows, pour flammable liquid through the broken windows, and throw a burning object into the car, setting it on fire.
The video, which appears to depict the entire incident, is slightly over a minute long.
The two men escaped without injury and called the police, who arrived after the assailants fled the scene. The report said there were two victims, though only one is visible in the video.
“It’s like something ISIS would do. They’re wild animals,” one of the men told Channel 12 on Saturday in reference to the Islamic State terror group.
The motive behind the attack is unclear.
According to the Channel 12 report, the two swimmers may have been involved in a brawl with the attackers the day before.
The Times of Israel Community.