Hours after four residents of Lod were arrested for the murder of security guard Pavel Rozov, police and Shin Bet released footage of the arrests, which took place in Ramallah.
The suspects had fled to the West Bank following the killing and were tracked down through Shin Bet intelligence. They were arrested Tuesday morning and brought to court later that day for a remand hearing.
Video of the incident
(Video: Israel Police)
The footage shows aerial surveillance of a vehicle carrying some of the suspects. Operatives from the National Counter-Terrorism Unit and IDF soldiers intercepted the car, smashed a window and pulled the suspects out, arresting them on the road. Additional suspects were later captured at a house in the West Bank.
Central District Police Commander Yair Hezroni praised the forces for “a professional manhunt and strong cooperation between police and Shin Bet.”
A joint statement said: “In a coordinated operation by the National Counter-Terrorism Unit, Central District detectives, Shin Bet agents and IDF soldiers, four Israeli citizens suspected of murdering security guard Pavel Rozov were arrested in Ramallah. Rozov was shot to death last weekend while on his way to work at a nearby police post.”
Meanwhile, the Rishon Lezion Magistrate’s Court extended the detention of two women by six days. They are suspected of obstructing justice and posing a threat to the public. Investigators believe they tampered with or removed surveillance cameras at the scene and helped the suspects flee.
Rozov was murdered last Friday around 10:00 p.m. while riding his electric bicycle to a shift at the police station in the Neve Shalom neighborhood. He was wearing a helmet and carrying a service-issued firearm.
According to the investigation, he took a shortcut through a path near a compound owned by the Abu Ghanem family—known to be involved in an ongoing clan feud—and was shot at the entrance. Police suspect the shooters, fearing an imminent attack, opened fire immediately. Rozov died at the scene. Investigators say the family quickly realized they had killed an innocent man.
During the court hearing, Judge Guy Maimon noted a “significant development” in the case. A police representative stated that during a municipal demolition at the compound two days after the murder, two hidden weapons were discovered. “According to the suspects, they are the only occupants of the compound,” the representative said.
He also added that the four suspects arrested in hiding in Ramallah are closely related to the two women—mostly first-degree relatives. The women deny all allegations. In addition to the four arrested on Tuesday, three more members of the same family were detained on Saturday, just hours after the murder. Their remand has been extended until Thursday.
Adv. Giora Zilberstein, who represents all the suspects, said: “The suspects were brought to court today on suspicion of interfering with the investigation, hiding surveillance footage, and aiding the killers in their escape. The women deny any connection to the murder, and I believe they’ll be released soon.” Regarding all of his clients, he added: “They deny any involvement in the murder and have cooperated fully with police.”
