Woman accused of using Net to lure youth to his death

JERUSALEM -- A woman has been arrested for allegedly using e-mail and Internet chat rooms to lure a 16-year-old Israeli to his death in a Ramallah ambush.

Mona Awana, 25, was arrested at her parents' home in the village of Bir Naballah last Friday.

She is accused of cajoling Ofir Rahum to meet her Wednesday of last week in Jerusalem for a romantic evening.

A freelance journalist and east Jerusalem resident, Awana has an Israeli identity card. She first made contact with Rahum around three weeks ago in an Internet chat room, and then held erotic correspondences with him. An examination of Rahum's computer helped lead the authorities to her.

Rahum reportedly believed Awana was an American living in Jerusalem. The Yediot Achronot newspaper reported that he even bragged to his classmates about meeting an older woman tourist. Awana also reportedly showed off to her friends, and word reached the Tanzim militants who planned the ambush.

Rahum is the fourth Israeli to be murdered in the Ramallah area since the outbreak of the current intifada over four months ago.

On Wednesday of last week he left his Ashkelon home and traveled to Jerusalem where he is believed to have met Awana, who then drove him toward Ramallah. At a prearranged location near El-Bireh she bolted from the car, another vehicle drove up and three Palestinian gunmen inside shot Rahum more than 15 times. One terrorist drove off with Rahum's body and dumped it, while the others fled in the second vehicle.

Rahum's parents became concerned when he failed to return home that evening and, after questioning his friends, discovered he had not been to school that day.

Rahum's body was discovered that evening, but was unrecognizable and presumed to be that of a Palestinian collaborator killed by vigilantes. However, by Thursday of last week, Israeli security officials had been alerted to Rahum's disappearance and began pressing for Rahum's body to be handed over by nightfall and autopsied.

A week ago Friday, hundreds attended Rahum's funeral in the Ashkelon cemetery. His school principal, Shosh Erez, described him as an outstanding student and a wonderful person, with a very supportive family. Rahum is survived by his parents, Shosh and Shalom, and three siblings.

In a statement through its news agency WAFA, the Palestinian Authority denounced the killing, saying it opposes attacks against civilians despite the continuing Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Palestinian media also reported that a number of youths had been arrested for the murder. They said the motivation was criminal rather than nationalistic.

Israeli security and police officials were skeptical, saying they had not been informed of any arrests. They also dismissed the claims that it was a criminal attack, given the lethal use of automatic firearms by the assailants. One source said that the PA is uncomfortable with the incident and is trying to dismiss it as a marginal event.

Prime Minister Ehud Barak condemned the killing. "The cruel murder of a young man is extremely grave and we will act to ensure those responsible are brought to justice," he said on Channel 2.

Likud candidate Ariel Sharon commented: "This only shows that murders continue, and that negotiating under terror and fire weakens Israel, unfortunately."