Police: Second 18-year-old arrested in mosque attack in Israel

CNN Wire Service

A second 18-year-old was set Monday to make his first court appearance in connection with the torching of a mosque in the northern Israeli village of Tuba Zangaria, authorities said.

The suspect, who was not identified, is the second to be arrested in connection with last week’s attack, Micky Rosenfeld, a police spokesman, told CNN.

The mosque was set on fire and scrawled with graffiti that indicated it was a revenge attack over the killing of Asher Palmer and his 1-year-old son, who were killed when rocks were thrown at their car in Hebron more than two weeks ago.

Words written on the mosque’s walls said “price tag,” “revenge” and “Palmer.”

“Price tag” attack is a term frequently used by radical Israeli settlers to denote reprisal attacks against Palestinians in response to moves by the Israeli government to evacuate illegal West Bank outposts.

Lately “price tag” attacks have also targeted Israeli military forces and police stationed in the West Bank. It is rare for them to carry out attacks inside Israel.

After the overnight attack, around 200 residents from the village gathered on the outskirts and started marching towards the neighboring Israeli town of Rosh Pina, an Israeli police spokesman said.

Residents blocked the road, hurled rocks at police and burned tires, police said. The police responded by firing tear gas.

The second suspect in the mosque burning is also an 18-year-old who appeared before the Kfar Saba Magistrate Court on Thursday, Rosenfeld said. He said the suspect was arrested “on suspicion of being involved in arson on the mosque in Tuba.”