The Explosive Device, Surveillance, and the Blast in the Heart of Holon

An assassination that took place in broad daylight, in an environment where any mistake could have resulted in a far greater number of casualties. About two and a half months ago, Mustafa Abu Lassan arrived at a gas station in Holon and parked in an adjacent parking lot. Shortly thereafter, a powerful explosion shook the area. An explosive device attached to his vehicle was detonated remotely, the vehicle was severely damaged, and Abu Lassan was killed. Seven additional vehicles parked in the area were damaged, and two of them were completely burnt out. The indictment filed in the Tel Aviv District Court presents a picture of an event that did not begin at the moment of the blast; the surveillance began prior to the hit. The State Attorney's Office attributes to Ghazi Ashkar, 34, from Jaffa, acting jointly with others with the goal of causing the death of Abu Lassan. According to the indictment, Abu Lassan was located and tracked, and a tracking device and an explosive device were attached to his vehicle. When he arrived at the gas station in Holon, one of the accomplices tracking him stopped nearby. Shortly thereafter, the explosive device was detonated remotely. These details make the minutes preceding the explosion a central part of the case: the surveillance of the vehicle, the attachment of the tracking device, the installation of the explosive device, and reaching the vantage point from which it could be detonated. The explosion took place near a gas station in the middle of the day As such, the location of the assassination also carries significant weight in the prosecution's request to remand Ashkar until the end of proceedings. The incident took place in a central and bustling area, in the middle of the day and adjacent to an active gas station. The explosion did not only hit Abu Lassan's vehicle; seven other vehicles were damaged, and two of them were completely incinerated. In the remand request, the State Attorney's Office emphasizes the danger posed to bystanders as a result of detonating a powerful explosive device at the scene. And what happened after the explosion?

The indictment does not end at the murder scene. Following the death of Abu Lassan, the State Attorney's Office attributes to Ashkar an attempt to obstruct the investigation. According to the indictment, the vehicle used to carry out the murder was transferred to a car dealer, and Ashkar ordered its license plates destroyed in order to make it harder for law enforcement authorities to trace it. The indictment charges him with jointly committed aggravated murder, conspiracy to commit a crime, altering the identity of a vehicle, and obstruction of justice. The State Attorney's Office is requesting to remand him in custody until the conclusion of proceedings. The big picture is not yet complete

One of the prominent details in the indictment is that Ashkar is not described as having acted alone. The indictment also refers to others who were involved in the process leading up to the assassination. And here lies one of the central questions that continue to hover over the affair: Who were the other individuals involved, what was the role of each, and what was behind the decision to assassinate Abu Lassan? The indictment provides a detailed account of the modus operandi, from the tracking and surveillance to the explosion and the actions that followed. But the full story behind the assassination—and particularly the identities and roles of all participants and the motive for the act—may still remain at the heart of the ongoing investigation and legal proceedings.

Tags: Murder · Mustafa Abu Lassan · Ghazi Ashkar · Holon · Jaffa · Explosive device · Assassination · YAMAR Tel Aviv · Serious crime · State Attorney's Office