Police holding body of yeshiva terrorist in row over funeral

Haaretz 09:32 11/03/2008

By Jonathan Lis, Haaretz Correspondent

Police are holding the body of the terrorist who attacked the Merkaz Harav yeshiva last week, pending agreement with his family that the funeral would not turn into a show of support for his actions. Police had initially agreed to release the body of the gunman, a resident of East Jerusalem, for burial on Monday. However, shortly before the planned release of the body, the police learned that a large number of people and media had assembled at the cemetery. Police officials decided in response not to hand over the body, saying that the family had breached the terms of their agreement. A proposal that the funeral be held late at night to prevent a large showing was later rejected by police, who claimed the family had broken its promise not to leak the news.

Officers arrested two youths from the terrorist's East Jerusalem neighborhood Monday night on suspicion of putting up Hamas and Hezbollah posters at the mourners' tent erected by the gunman's family. The youths were not members of the terrorist's family and were not involved in the shooting, police said. Probe into initial police response Police will next week release findings regarding their response to last week's terror attack at the Jerusalem's Mercaz Harav yeshiva. A gunman from East Jerusalem killed eight students and injured dozens in the attack. The inquiry is focused on the actions of the police forces that rushed to the incident. It will pay close attention to the response of the first policeman who arrived on the scene; he decided to wait for reinforcement before entering the seminary. The policeman, a rooky who entered the police force only a few months ago, was carrying a gun when the incident occurred. The panel will also examine the policeman's decision to equip Israel Defense Forces soldier, Captain David Shapira, with a police cap to prevent security forces for mistaking him for another terrorist. Shapira entered the building alone armed with his army-issued rifle; he subsequently shot the terrorist dead.