The State Attorney's Office filed indictments today (Thursday) against Yahya Al-Okbi, 26, from Hora, a minor at the time of the offenses, and the minor's father, for purchasing a gun and ammunition that were provided to Ahmed Al-Okbi, the terrorist who carried out the shooting attack at the central bus station in Be'er Sheva two years ago, in which Shira Haya Suslik, a 19-year-old Border Police fighter, was murdered.
The indictments indicate that towards January 2024, the terrorist asked a relative of his - the minor's father - to assist him in purchasing a gun.
The father contacted his minor son, who contacted Al-Okbi to promote the deal. Al-Okbi contacted another person and reached an agreement with him to purchase a gun for approximately 43,000 NIS, of which 3,000 NIS was his profit.
Later, Al-Okbi and the minor traveled to the Lehavim grove, where Al-Okbi received a Glock pistol for 20,000 NIS.
The two took the gun to the father's house, who examined it and, after being satisfied with its quality, asked his son to pass it on to the terrorist, who paid part of the price.
Several months after the deal, and before the attack, the terrorist approached Al-Okbi and asked to purchase ammunition and a cartridge. Al-Okbi purchased a cartridge and 50 bullets for him and sold them to him for 2,500 NIS.
According to the indictments, the three knew that the terrorist held an extremist ideology and hated Jews, and that there was a possibility that he would use a weapon to carry out an attack.
On October 6, 2024, the terrorist carried out the shooting attack at the central bus station in Be'er Sheva. In the attack, a Border Guard soldier, Sergeant Shira Chaya Suslik, was murdered, and other people were injured.
In addition, Al-Okbi is alleged to have been involved in additional weapons transactions in the years 2024-2026, including the purchase of a box containing 990 bullets suitable for an M-16 rifle for 8,000 NIS, as well as additional transactions to purchase a silencer, a Kalashnikov rifle, and a Glock pistol, which were not completed.
In the arrest request in the case of Al-Okbi and the minor, the prosecution noted that the two, despite their young age, described involvement in arms trafficking offenses over the years, in a way that shows that they are rooted in the world of weapons. It also emphasized that their descriptions paint a disturbing picture of the ease with which weapons can be obtained, "similar to a person going shopping at the supermarket.".
The defendants are charged with weapons offenses (trafficking), weapons offenses (carrying and transporting), and the offense of providing means under the Anti-Terrorism Law.
Al-Okbi is also charged with additional weapons offenses, and the minor and his father are also charged with the offense of illegally possessing a Kalashnikov rifle, in an area near Rahat. The minor is also charged with the offenses of driving without a license and driving a vehicle without insurance.
The case was handled by the Southern District Commander, Shin Bet, and Southern Border Guard operatives.
