Indictment Filed in Shfaram Mosque Shooting; Motive Ruled Criminal, Not Nationalistic

The Haifa District Attorney's Office is set to file an indictment this week against Abed Azam for attempted murder in the shooting at a mosque in Shfaram last month. An additional indictment will be filed against Azam's associate for involvement in the incident, specifically for allegedly concealing the firearm used in the shooting. Both suspects, aged 32 and 47, were detained and their arrests extended during the investigation.

The probe, conducted by the Northern District Police and the Shin Bet, initially considered a nationalistic motive and treated the case as a potential terror attack. This led to a large-scale manhunt involving police, Border Police, Shin Bet, and the Yamam counterterrorism unit. However, the investigation ultimately determined the shooting stemmed from a criminal dispute between the individuals involved, ruling out any nationalistic background.

According to findings, Azam arrived at the mosque in Shfaram, opened fire at the sheikh, and fled the scene. The subsequent search spanned the Krayot and Galilee regions, with authorities urging the public to report sightings of the armed suspect. Several suspects were initially detained, but Azam evaded capture until later arrested.

Azam's defense attorneys, Tammi Ulman and Shadi Saruji, stated that prosecutors pressured their client to admit to a security-related offense, which he denied. They emphasized that the suspect was held in prolonged isolation aimed at eliciting a confession to a terror-related crime, but the investigation confirmed the motive was purely criminal.

The indictment is expected to be submitted imminently, concluding the investigation into the shooting that sparked significant security operations in northern Israel.