Last update - 00:00 26/08/2007
State requests 5 life sentences for driver of suicide bomber
By Yuval Azoulay, Haaretz Correspondent
The state requested on Sunday that the Tel Aviv District Court hand down five consecutive life sentences to an Israeli Arab who drove a suicide bomber to the location of an attack in 2005.
28-year-old Ashraf Keisi, from Baka al-Garbiyeh transported a Palestinian suicide bomber to a Tel Aviv nightclub, where he blew himself up, killing five people and wounding 50.
Keisi was convicted over a month ago on five counts of murder and on one count of attempted murder. He was also convicted of aiding an enemy during wartime, supporting a terror organization, causing mental anguish and other offenses.
The police representative at Tel Aviv District Court said of Keisi on Sunday morning, "To our disgust he is Israeli, was born and grew up here, and has Jewish friends. He worked for Jews and for a spent a large part of his life in Israeli society. Maybe this why he refused for the terror attack to be perpetrated in Hadera, where he has friends and relatives."
"He decided who would live and who would die, he decided when and where the attack would take place, and how it could hurt as many people as possible," the police representative said.
The state prosecution requested Keisi be jailed for five consecutive life sentences. It claimed that before the attack, Keisi dealt in stolen cars, and acquired for the terror cell chemical materials containing sulfur, which is necessary for assembling bombs.
The prosecution also claimed that Keisi participated in planning the kidnapping of a Jewish Israeli with whom he was well acquainted.
Keisi's defense argued that he fell victim to the terror cell, and understands the gravity of his deed.
Keisi himself expressed regret over his actions. He asked the court not to sentence him to five consecutive life sentences, referring to legal precedents of others convicted of driving suicide bombers, who received lighter punishments.
The court will issue its sentence in two weeks.