Police nab 6 alleged accomplices in soldier’s death

Six suspects were arrested Wednesday in connection with the murder of IDF soldier Eden Atias three weeks ago, following a joint investigation by police and the Israel Security Agency.

The suspects will reportedly be charged in the coming days with illegally employing, assisting, and hosting the accused killer, 16-year-old Hussein Sharif Rawarda.

One of those arrested, a 26-year-old resident of Upper Nazareth, was indicted Wednesday for illegally employing Rawarda as a janitor in his family-owned Nazareth hotel for a week, and for hosting him in the hotel’s employee lodgings during that time.

According to the indictment, the Israeli man was aware that Rawarda was illegally present in the country.

Rawarda, a resident of Jenin, is said to have stabbed 18-year-old Atias multiple times in the neck on November 13. The attack took place on a bus, and eyewitness accounts say Atias was asleep at the time.

Rawarda was arrested immediately following the stabbing and claimed during his interrogation that he had acted to avenge his relatives, who are imprisoned in Israel for terrorist activity.