Lead

The investigation into a series of grenade, shooting, and arson attacks targeting branches of the Japanika restaurant chain in central Israel has expanded internationally, with the FBI and Romanian police now involved, according to a report by N12, as cited by the Jerusalem Post. The development marks a significant escalation in a probe that has already led to the arrest of Yossi Musli, the head of a crime organization, and several other suspects.

The attacks, which have hit branches of the sushi chain owned by businessman Barak Abramov, are being investigated as part of a feud between the Musli and Jarushi crime families, according to police. The violence has prompted the US Embassy in Jerusalem to issue a security alert warning American citizens to be cautious of organized crime activity.

Coverage Comparison

The Jerusalem Post reported the international expansion of the investigation on July 19, citing N12. Channel 12 legal analyst Guy Peleg said, "The investigation has become international. The police are not operating only in Israel. Police agencies around the world are involved, including the FBI and Romanian police." Peleg added that Eran Haya, the head of a crime organization held in Brooklyn, is believed to be connected, and that the FBI raided his cell and found cellphones he had stashed there. Peleg also said the Romanian security service questioned Yossi Musli's brother, Eli Musli, based on materials transferred by Israel Police, and warned that if the matter continued, they would shut down the brothers' businesses in Romania.

Other reports from the Jerusalem Post covered the arrest of Yossi Musli, the detention hearings, and the arrest of additional suspects. On July 16, the Post reported that Tel Aviv Magistrate's Court extended Musli's detention by five days, with Judge Sheli Kotin saying there was a basis to justify keeping him in custody, while warning that without concrete evidence, further extensions might not be granted.

A separate Jerusalem Post report from July 22 detailed the US Embassy's security alert, which warned Americans to "stay alert" in central Israeli commercial districts, particularly during late and overnight hours, and advised avoiding areas with police activity.

Key Claims

  • The investigation into the Japanika attacks has expanded internationally, with the FBI and Romanian police involved, as reported by N12 and cited by the Jerusalem Post.
  • Yossi Musli, head of a crime organization, was arrested on suspicion of involvement in the attacks. Police announced his arrest on July 14, and the Tel Aviv Magistrate's Court extended his detention by five days.
  • Four others have been arrested over their suspected involvement, including an 18-year-old and two men in their 30s, as well as a 28-year-old from Kiryat Ata arrested on suspicion of attempted arson of a Japanika branch in Haifa.
  • The attacks, which included grenade explosions, a pipe bomb attack, and an attempted arson, targeted Japanika branches in central Israel, including a shooting at a branch in Herzliya and a grenade attack in Netanya that involved a stolen IDF grenade.
  • The US Embassy in Jerusalem issued a security alert warning Americans in Israel to be cautious of organized crime activity, citing a spike in violence connected to rivalries between Israeli organized crime groups.
  • Japanika owner Barak Abramov was once considered close to the Musli brothers, a claim carried by the Jerusalem Post.
  • Musli claims police met with him prior to the grenade attacks and warned him to calm the area, as reported in the Jerusalem Post's coverage of his detention hearing.
  • A new suspect was arrested in connection with the grenade attack on a Japanika restaurant in Kiryat Ono, as noted in the US Embassy security alert report.

Perspectives

Police and Judicial Authorities

Israeli police suspect Musli's involvement in the attacks as part of a feud between crime families, and the court has found grounds for detention, while emphasizing the need for concrete evidence to continue holding him.

Yossi Musli

Musli denies the allegations and claims that police met with him prior to the attacks and warned him to calm the area, suggesting a level of prior engagement between him and authorities.