BICOM

Four suspects appeared at a Tel Aviv Magistrate’s Court yesterday to face charges connected with the 2009 double murder of two people at a gay youth club.

The shooting shocked the country and was condemned by leaders from across the political spectrum. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed “shock and dismay.” What is said to have been Israel’s most expensive police investigation ever ensued, with over one thousand people interviewed.

Finally this week four arrests were made. Although there is still a gag order in place covering the details of the case, police have said that they believe that the shooting was not a hate crime but was instead motivated by personal revenge. Police understand that a hired killer entered the Bar Noar youth club but when he didn’t find his target, he simply opened fire indiscriminately, killing 27-year-old counsellor Nir Katz and 16-year-old Liz Trubeshi.

Three of those arrested are suspected of planning and carrying out the shooting. They are apparently well-known to the police with two also wanted in connection with dozens of car break-ins, plus arson, drugs and weapons charges. However, the fourth suspect is thought to be a prominent member of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender community in Tel Aviv. He is suspected of withholding important information in connection with the case, but is not thought to have had direct involvement in the shooting.

Meretz MK Nitzan Horowitz, who is himself gay, commented, “The unsolved slaughter at the Bar Noar has cast a heavy shadow for almost four years, not just over the gay community, but over Israeli society as a whole.”

Meanwhile, today will see Tel Aviv’s annual gay pride parade take place through the centre of the city. Around 100,000 people are expected to attend, according to the Independent, with tens of thousands of tourists visiting especially for the event.