Jan 4, 20162 min read

Terrorist on the Loose (in our neighborhood?!)

There is the possibility that the terrorist who murdered three Israelis on Friday is on the loose—or more likely, in hiding—possibly in our neighborhood. Ramat Aviv is a northern suburb of Tel Aviv. Shuster Center is our outdoor shopping center—200 meters from our apartment. Anise is a natural foods store. And Nashat Milhem, the Islamic terrorist, worked there as a delivery man.

Police were scouring the neighborhood yesterday looking for the armed terrorist.

“Sunday’s search for Milhem focused in part on the Ramat Aviv area of north Tel Aviv, where he worked as a vegetable delivery man — for a branch of the same Anise natural foods store he was seen leaving on Dizengoff Street when he began his shooting spree.” (TimesofIsrael.com)

I go to Shuster Center at least three times a week. I bank there, buy groceries there, get my hair cut there and even get the dog’s hair cut there!

A school girl found his cell found nearby and her father turned it on. Police soon arrived thinking they had found the terrorist. They now assume he threw it after he took a taxi from central Tel Aviv, where he had gone on a shooting spree, killing two Israeli young men. He then killed his Israeli Arab taxi driver, a father of 11.

After killing the driver, he left the body outside a well-known condominium building that is home to two restaurants that we usually take our guests from outside the country. He then came back to Ramat Aviv and ditched the cab.

Police are concerned that he could carry out another attack.

“The TV report described Milhem as ‘a ticking bomb,’ who, it was feared, could carry out additional acts of violence including a further shooting attack or an attempt to take civilians hostage.” (ibid)

The strangest part about all this is that he got away. No one ever gets away. Tel Aviv is a city full of camera’s and armed citizens. Of course it is easier to confront someone with a knife than a sub-machine gun. Still, Israelis are fearless when it comes to issues like this.

It is possible he is hiding in an apartment. He knew many people in this area when he was a delivery man. A store owner in the same shopping center said he slept here every night. Police have not ruled out that he committed suicide. If he comes outside he will be identified. His picture is everywhere and he must know that. There is another concern—that he might seek to go out in a blaze of Islamic glory, seeing that as his only escape.

I have not felt like this since the sniper John Mohammad was terrorizing the greater DC area. Except that this guy could be in my neighborhood!

Please pray: