Israeli Who Fabricated Kidnap Story ‘Was Looking For Attention,’ IDF Says

The Israeli youth who fabricated a missing person’s report, which prompted a massive manhunt by security forces near Chevron on Thursday, was “looking for attention,” the army’s top spokesperson said today.

From the Jerusalem Post:

Brig.-Gen. Moti Almoz recounted the tense hours during which large contingents of soldiers and police concentrated forces in the southern West Bank in a frantic search for Niv Asraf, the Beersheba native who falsified a distress call.

“The army did not let up until we understood beyond any doubt that we could call off the massive search,” Almoz said. “During those hours, we were focused on finding a kidnapped person alive.”

Police said they view the incident with the utmost severity in particular due to what they said was a “major waste of resources for all of the security services.”

Police said Asraf, 22 from Beersheba, was found alive and well in a dry creek bed outside Kiryat Arba, with a sleeping bag and a supply of canned goods. They added that the investigation against Asraf and his friend is ongoing.

Click here to continue reading at the Jerusalem Post.

Niv Asraf and friend Eran Negev (in back) being led into court today in Jlem after faked kidnapping Thursday (police) pic.twitter.com/RK0h9gdrJa

— Ben Hartman (@Benhartman) April 3, 2015