Would-be Eilat hotel bombers are named

Khalil Nimri and Ashraf Slaimeh are named as the two Arab Israeli residents of Jerusalem who are suspected of planning to carry out a terrorist attack at a hotel in the southern city of Eilat.

According to an indictment filed with the Southern District Court against Slaimeh and Nimri, the two met while working together in a different Eilat hotel.

Nimri, according to the indictment, said he “wanted to avenge the death of his childhood friend killed in October [while carrying out a] stabbing attack in Jerusalem.”

The indictment also indicates that Nimri first offered to carry out a stabbing attack and murder a religious Jew, but Slaimeh convinced him that they would likely get caught. Slaimeh suggested instead that the two plant a bomb in a hotel in Eilat.

On November 30, Slaimeh came to the hotel to collect information. He introduced himself as a customer wishing to rent a hotel room for an extended period of time and asked to see different rooms at the hotel.

The staff at the hotel became suspicious of Slaimeh and alerted authorities, who arrested him. Nimri was arrested as part of the investigation as well.