Detention orders against a prime suspect in the murder of a Jerusalem policeman last week were extended for 15 days by a magistrates court here yesterday. The suspect, Omar Faraj, is one of eight alleged members of a criminal gang operating from Kfar Silwan, an Arab village outside Jerusalem, arrested so far in the case.
According to police, Faraj drove the car from which police Sgt. Maj. Avi Biazzi, 30, a plainclothes detective, was gunned down gangland-style near Jaffa Gate early Thursday morning. Biazzi was driving an unmarked car at the time. The killers wore masks and used automatic weapons.
The latest arrest in the case was made over the weekend after an Israel Defense Force patrol shot and wounded a 25-year-old East Jerusalem resident believed to be a member of the Silwan gang. He was shot in the legs following a lengthy chase, when he reportedly tried to cross the border into Jordan near Jericho.
The suspect was reported today in stable condition at the Ein Kerem medical center. Police said he has a long criminal record and is wanted for robbery and drug trafficking. Investigating authorities said initially that the murder of Biazzi was probably the work of underworld elements but they were not ruling out a terrorist act.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
