Three Brothers Indicted for Violent Kidnapping and Extortion Over Drug Debt

Three brothers from the Al-Janabib tribe—Salim Ashtiyawi (24), Namir Ashtiyawi (28), and Ashtiyawi Ashtiyawi (32)—along with their father Masad, have been charged with the violent kidnapping of a man over a drug debt. The incident, which unfolded in April, involved luring the victim to a designated meeting under the guise of settling accounts.

According to the indictment filed by Attorney Daniel Gilad at the Beersheba District Court, the suspects confronted the victim with objects resembling firearms. When the victim attempted to flee on foot, Namir Ashtiyawi fired warning shots and forced him into one of the getaway vehicles at gunpoint.

Captivity and Extortion Demands

The victim was blindfolded with a dark sack and brought to a tent encampment belonging to the tribe. There, the father, Masad Ashtiyawi, severely beat the captive, shot near his legs, and demanded a ransom of tens of thousands of shekels. The kidnappers contacted the victim's sister and mother, issuing chilling threats.

"If you don't pay the money, 135,000 shekels, you will pick him up from Abu Kabir," the father warned the victim's mother, referring to the national forensic institute.

Police Rescue and Legal Proceedings

Acting on intelligence, a Yamam counter-terrorism unit from the Negev region carried out a swift rescue operation, storming the compound and liberating the victim unharmed. He was subsequently taken for debriefing at the Tayinot police station.

Investigators gathered robust forensic evidence, including DNA samples and surveillance footage from the kidnapping scene. Judge Nasser Abu Taha ordered the three brothers to be held in custody until the conclusion of legal proceedings, noting that their release would pose a severe threat to public safety. Police are still searching for the father and other accomplices.