Three Israeli citizens were convicted Thursday of manslaughter by the Tel Aviv District Court because they had driven a suicide bomber on his way to the site of the attack in Netanya in July 2005. This is the first time that persons who aided a terrorist, but were not involved in the planning or execution of the attack, are convicted of manslaughter.

The suicide bombing took place in July 2005 at a crosswalk near the Sharon Mall in Netanya. Five persons were killed and 30 were injured five of them seriously.

Two of those convicted - Seif Azam from Taibeh and Kfir Levy from Ramat Gan - smuggled the Palestinians from the territories into Israel. On the day of the attack, Asaf Zahran, the handler of the suicide bomber, called Azam and asked him to drive the man into Israel. The two paid NIS 1000 for the ride and crossed the Green Line in Levy's car.

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The prosecutor claimed that Azam and Levy suspected that the man they were bringing into Israel was a terrorist, but did not turn down the business opportunity.

Azam also checked one of the terrorist's bags, but when he tried to inspect another bag, the man refused and the smuggler gave in.

The judge, Oded Mudrik, said that Azam and Levy suspected the man they were driving was a terrorist and "shut their eyes."

Judge Mudrik pointed out that Azam and Levy used a vehicle in which they normally carried as many as 10 Palestinians into Israel for two persons only, which should have raised the suspicion of the two smugglers. He also called attention to the fact that the terrorist and his handler paid five times the normal rate for such a service.

The terrorist and his handler were dropped off in Taibeh, and they were driven to the location of the attack by a third man, Abbed Abu-Mokh, a resident of Baka al-Gharbiyeh.

Abu-Mokh also suspected that he was giving a ride to terrorists, and described the suicide bomber to police as having "the face of a dead man."

In addition to the manslaughter charges, the three were also convicted of 30 counts of causing grievous bodily harm to the persons injured by the blast.