An Israeli court has convicted Yigal Amir, the assassin of Yitzhak Rabin, of conspiring to kill the prime minister and of planning attacks on Palestinians.
Amir, 26, is already serving a life sentence for the murder of the prime minister.
The court also found Amir’s brother, Hagai, and a friend, Dror Adani, guilty Wednesday of the charges of plotting to kill the premier and attack Palestinians.
A three-judge panel in the Tel Aviv District Court also found the three guilty on weapons charges and of conspiring to set up an illegal underground organization.
The three will be sentenced Oct. 3. Legal sources said they could each face more than 25 years in prison.
The lengthy verdict, read out by Judge Amnon Strashnov, countered Yigal Amir’s contention that he acted alone when carrying out the assassination.
Strashnov accepted prosecution evidence that Hagai Amir and Adani actively proposed methods of killing Rabin.
He termed them “full partners” in the slaying.
Hagai Amir and Adani each denied that they had conspired to kill Rabin.
Hagai Amir, 28, a weapons expert who prosecutors said made the hollow-point bullets used to kill Rabin, said he had heard of his brother’s plans, but never thought he would actually carry out the assassination.
Adani, 28, said he had visited the Amir home in hopes of romancing the Amirs’ sister and had gotten drawn into conversations about how to assassinate the prime minister.
But the judges did not accept their denials.
“After reviewing all the evidence and reading the confessions of the suspects, I have no doubt that all three conspired to kill the prime minister,” Strashnov said.
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