An initial investigation into the man who attempted to set fire to a 12-year-old boy on a bus in Beitar Illit found that the suspect’s original intention had been to kidnap the child, Israel Police confirmed on Wednesday.
According to Ynet, the suspect had considered the kidnapping to be overly complicated and instead chose to attempt to inflict physical harm on him.
The investigation, which has now concluded, found that the suspect, a 30-year-old Jerusalem resident, boarded the bus on February 1 with a bottle containing a “flammable substance,” intending to commit some form of arson attack, according to Israel Police.
The suspect was arrested and brought in for further questioning at the Etzion police station, where he told investigators that he had a negative relationship with the victim’s father.
On the previous night, the suspect had gone to a local gas station and filled a plastic bottle with the flammable substance.
In the morning, the suspect rode his bike to the bus station and boarded the bus with the boy. He approached his victim, confirmed his identity, and then poured the flammable substance on him.
Once the driver noticed what was happening, the bus was stopped to allow passengers to flee, police stated.
After trying to flee the scene as well, the suspect was apprehended by an Israel Police Special Patrol Unit (YASAM) officer and IDF troops operating in the area.
The victim, a Jerusalem resident who was on his way to school in Beitar Illit, sustained only minor injuries to his hands.