Jerusalem Pride bomber sentenced to six months community service
A district court in Jerusalem has sentenced a 35-year-old Michael Naky to six months community service for setting off a makeshift bomb to disrupt a gay pride march in the city in 2007.
The judge gave the sentence after a plea bargain between the defence and the prosecution.
The discovery of a small home-made bomb intended for the parade route of a gay rights march heightened tensions in the holy city of Jerusalem between LGBT and religious Jews, Christians and Muslims.
The parade itself ended with 18 people arrested for attempting to disrupt the event.
At the time of the arrest, police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said that around 2,000 marchers were taking part in Pride but that “Police stopped a 32-year-old religious Jew who was carrying a homemade explosive device.”
In April of 2007m an explosive device detonated near Jerusalem was thought to be the work of ultra-Orthodox Jews protesting against the Pride event.
The small pipe bomb exploded near the West Bank separation fence.
One person suffered a minor leg injury and was taken to a hospital in Jerusalem.
The explosion followed a curse put on the event from rabbis from the Eda Haredit region. “To all those involved, sinners in spirit, and whoever helps and protects them, may they feel a curse on their souls, may it plague them and may evil pursue them; they will not be requited of their transgressions from heavenly judgement,” their message read.
