Man charged for allegedly driving terrorists who carried out deadly Jerusalem attack

Prosecutors say East Jerusalemite transported terrorists to Ramot Junction despite suspecting they carried firearms, disposed of phone containing messages after realizing they carried out attack

By Charlie Summers

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3 October 2025, 3:15 pm

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Prosecutors filed charges Friday against an East Jerusalem man accused of transporting the two terrorists who carried out a deadly shooting attack in Jerusalem last month.

Nader Muhtaseb, 29, was accused of dropping the two terrorists at Ramot Junction, where they opened fire on civilians, killing six and injuring dozens, before they were shot dead by bystanders.

According to the indictment filed against him, Muhtaseb was contacted by a go-between who arranges transportation for Palestinians residing illegally in Israel, and was offered NIS 400 ($120) for the job.

Prosecutors said that while driving the two to the junction, Muhtaseb took note of their bags and requested that the pair open them.

When they refused, the driver apparently began to suspect that they were carrying firearms. He transported them, nevertheless, after a conversation with the broker.

Upon later realizing that the passengers had carried out the shooting that morning, Muhtaseb destroyed his phone, which contained the correspondence arranging the ride, and disposed of its remains.

Police and rescue personnel at the scene of a terror attack at Ramot Junction, at the entrance to Jerusalem, September 8, 2025. (Chaim Goldberg/FLASH90)

He was charged in the Jerusalem District Court with unlawful transportation, reckless manslaughter, causing serious injury and obstruction of justice. Prosecutors requested that he remain in detention until the end of the proceedings against him.

Both terrorists, Mohammad Taha and Muthanna Amro, were killed during the attack by a soldier — a squad commander in the military’s new ultra-Orthodox Hasmonean Brigade — and an armed yeshiva student, also ultra-Orthodox.

The victims of a deadly terror shooting in Ramot, at the entrance to Jerusalem, on September 8, 2025: Top L-R: Levi Yitzhak Pash, Yisrael Matzner, 28; Rabbi Yosef David, 43; Bottom L-R: Rabbi Mordechai Steintzag, 79; Yaakov Pinto, 25; Sarah Mendelson, 60. (Courtesy)

Israel has experienced several deadly terror attacks since the Gaza war started on October 7, 2023, when thousands of Hamas-led terrorists stormed southern Israel to kill some 1,200 people and take 251 hostages.

Since the October 7 attack, troops have arrested some 6,000 wanted Palestinians across the West Bank, including more than 2,350 affiliated with Hamas.

According to the Palestinian Authority health ministry, nearly 1,000 West Bank Palestinians have been killed in that time. The IDF says the vast majority of them were gunmen killed in exchanges of fire, rioters who clashed with troops or terrorists carrying out attacks.

During the same period, 62 others, including Israeli security personnel, have been killed in terror attacks in Israel and the West Bank. Another eight members of the security forces were killed in clashes with terror operatives in the West Bank.

Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.