Police arrested a man suspected of planting an explosive device at an Ashkelon playground, according to an indictment filed by the Southern District Prosecutor’s Office on Wednesday.
The indictment was filed in the Beersheba District Court against 22-year-old Dimona resident Osher Peretz, charging him with weapons offenses and preparing a dangerous substance.
Prosecutors allege that Peretz constructed a 25-centimeter-long explosive device and hid it beneath a bush near the playground.
People visiting the park noticed the suspicious object and alerted police. A bomb disposal technician was called to examine it.
Police determined that the object was a powerful explosive device assembled in a sophisticated manner. Had it detonated where it was hidden, it could have caused extensive damage and injured civilians.
The cylinder was approximately 1.9 centimeters in diameter. Screws had been attached to it, significantly increasing the potential for damage and the number of injuries.
Two metal caps were fitted to the ends of the cylinder. A large hole had been drilled into one of the caps, allowing the activation wires to pass through. The detonation mechanism was designed to be activated remotely and was secured to the cylinder with adhesive tape.
Evidence on bomb led to Peretz
The bomb disposal technician dismantled the device, and its components were sent for examination. Evidence recovered from the device led investigators to suspect that Peretz had constructed it.
Investigators believe Peretz did not wear rubber gloves while assembling the device, leaving fingerprints on several components. His fingerprints were found primarily on the caps attached to the ends of the cylinder, including the cap through which the activation wires had been threaded.
Peretz denied constructing or concealing the device. However, after investigators told him that his fingerprints had been found on the caps, he acknowledged touching the fasteners.
He continued to deny coming into contact with the explosive device itself and said he had not been in the area of Ashkelon where it was found.
Investigators also obtained an expert opinion from an IDF chemistry laboratory regarding the substance inside the device. Peretz’s fingerprints were also found on the container that held the substance.
Location-tracking data also indicated that Peretz had been in the area, according to investigators.
“Through his actions described in the facts above, the defendant manufactured the improvised explosive device, which is capable of causing damage and constitutes a weapon, without lawful authorization to carry out the act,” attorney Hila Malul wrote in the indictment.
The indictment further stated that “he unlawfully possessed a weapon and committed an act, or knowingly possessed an explosive substance, or a machine or any other object that is harmful or dangerous, with the intention of committing a crime or enabling another person to commit the crime.”
Prosecutors request continued house arrest
Following the indictment, prosecutors requested that Peretz remain under full house arrest.
“Peretz manufactured and possessed an improvised explosive device capable of harming a person. The severity of his actions and the danger he poses are heightened by the fact that the explosive device was located in the playground, which could have led to mass casualties, including injuries to children,” the request stated.
Peretz has a criminal record that includes previous convictions for failing to prevent a crime and entering a residence to commit offenses.