The Palestinian who killed four Israelis in Beersheba on Tuesday was under Shin Bet surveillance at the time of his stabbing and car-ramming attack, Israeli television reported Wednesday.
Mohammad Ghaleb Abu al-Qi’an, 34, killed four Israelis in Tuesday’s attack in the southern city before he was shot dead by armed settlers. A former school teacher from the Bedouin town of Hura, he previously served time in Israeli prison.
According to Channel 12 news, the Shin Bet did not detect any signs Abu al-Qi’an was planning an attack, and also believed he had moderated his past views.
The unsourced report said the lack of any prior indication that Abu al-Qi’an intended to carry out an attack has “boosted the security establishment’s assessment that he acted alone,” but noted that investigators were still examining if his brothers were aware of his plans or assisted him.
Police arrested two of his brothers after the attack on suspicion of knowing his intentions.
The Walla news site separately reported Wednesday that there was a growing belief among security officials that Abu al-Qi’an did not inform his family and made the decision to carry out the attack not long before doing so.
“The terrorist’s conduct was the opposite of a terrorist going to carry out an attack,” security sources were quoted as saying in the report, referring to Abu al-Qi’an.
Source: Israeli media
