Remand extended for suspected head of crime ring in South

Be'er Sheva Magistrate's Court on Thursday extended by ten days the remand of Yaniv Zagori, thought to be the leader of a crime ring operating in the South.

Earlier Thursday, police arrested 11 suspected members of the group, including an officer at the rank of captain in the Israel Defense Forces.

Police said that, "This is a criminal organization responsible for a long series of grave offences over the course of recent years."

Zagori has been linked to a number of incidents which took place over the last year in the southern town and are still unsolved.

These incidents include the hurling of a fragmentation grenade at the house of Artzi Halfon, the Col Hanegev newspaper's criminal correspondent, as well as planting a grenade of the same type at the entrance of Israel Prison Service intelligence officer Emil Salah's home in Be'er Sheva.

In the attack on Halfon's home, which occurred three months ago, the grenade damaged the reporter's house and killed his dog. A month earlier, Halfon submitted a complaint about masked assailants who attempted to intimidate him near his home.

The detainees were arrested on suspicion of committing violent crimes such as throwing grenades, preparing explosive devises and arson.

The IDF captain arrested was suspected of preparing explosive devises.

Zagori is also suspected of setting alight Be'er Sheva's "Bon-Bon" kiosk, as well as the offices of attorney Itai Yitzhak.

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