Alleged attacker's relatives say slain teenage girl was innocent

Date: 05 / 04 / 2009  Time:  10:14
Bethlehem - Ma'an -

Relatives of a 15-year-old Bedouin girl shot dead by Israeli forces on Saturday denied reports she opened fire on a military post before she was killed, according to Israeli newspaper Haaretz.

"It couldn't be. The police [are] lying and exaggerating. Maybe she was there to make a complaint and got mixed-up," said Ali Al-Nabari, a cousin of the girl accused of attacking a southern Israeli military post on Saturday.

The Palestinian, identified as 15-year-old Basma Awad Al-Nabbari, was from the central town of Be-er Al-Saba'a (Beersheva).

"The person manning the base gate thinks that anyone wearing a kaffiyah is a terrorist," he insisted. "His friends shot her for no reason. She is involved in a program for exceptional students and active in social projects. It isn't logical that someone could have influenced her. She is in school from the morning until the afternoon and she comes straight home from there. There is no internet, or anything else. Maybe the police made up the gun."

Israeli police said the attack occurred around 2pm when the girl arrived at the Border Guard post and opened fire toward officers, leading them to return fire. No other injuries or damage were reported.

According to another relative, responding to reports from Israeli police that the girl was attempting to avenge the deaths of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, "This is a false claim by the police." "They are looking to cover up their actions. This could not have been a terror attack."

"This was a special and kind child," said a family member. "Why didn't they show the gun on television? They only filmed her bag. They killed her accidentally and we intend to fight this to the end. We will hire lawyers and petition the courts until everyone knows the truth."

Israeli police arrest parents of 16-year old girl killed during alleged attack

Sunday April 05, 2009 12:08 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC News

After shooting and killing a 16-year old Bedouin teen after she allegedly 'opened fire' toward an Israeli military base, Israeli police have arrested the slain girl's parents and uncle and are holding them under interrogation.

According to Israeli sources, the parents are accused of having had prior knowledge of their daughter's alleged plan to attack Israeli soldiers. Police also searched the family's home in Hura village in southern Israel, and say that they discovered a diary in which the teen admitted to wanting to be a martyr for the cause of Palestinian rights.

Basma Awad al-Nabari, 16, was killed Saturday by Israeli troops after she allegedly arrived at the Shoket Junction military base with a gun and began firing. No injuries were reported on the Israeli side in the incident.

Al-Nabari's parents and uncle are being held in an interrogation unit, where they were questioned all night, according to Israeli sources. The sources added that the three will be brought before a judge on Sunday morning on charges of knowing about or assisting the girl in her alleged attack on the military base.

Other relatives told Israeli newspapers that the girl was always bright and positive, and they had never suspected any possibility that she would carry out an attack on Israeli occupation forces. Some relatives questioned the Israei version of events, saying that perhaps al-Nabari had been trying to file a complaint at the military base when she was killed.

Israeli police frequently arrest the relatives of Palestinians they have killed, and often carry out punitive home demolitions of the family's home to punish them for their relative's deeds.