Israel’s News Blog Magazine: Daily Stories Video and PhotosThe detainment of “man about town” Assi Aboutbul on suspicion of gun running is just another episode in the life of this colourful resident of the Ramat Poleg suburb of Natanya, a city renown for it’s interesting inhabitants, as well as even more ‘interesting’ activities. Aboutbul, whose uncle Felix (a former gambling king pen) was blown away outside his casino in Prague, is suspected in ‘acquiring’ a large quantity of weapons and explosives, to be sold to “certain parties’ willing to pay the price for them.
Charged together with Jerusalem crime magnate Eli Naim, (known more commonly as ‘the magician’) both were remanded for several days until the police authorities can decide what to with them. Both of these distinguished individuals have been involved in numerous activities not exactly legit, and both have had several attempts made on their lives. Residents of Ramat Poleg, keep a wide berth of this man who has often been seen there eating in local restaurants or at the beach, in the company of his 4-6 bodyguards. A recent ‘rub-out’ attempt involving a U.S. made LAW anti-tank missile caused considerable concern to residents of Assi’s neighborhood when the noise caused by the exploding missile was thought to have been caused by terrorists. Terrorists they were, but not the normal kind most people are concerned with.
Assi and other members of the astute ‘club’ of other men-about-town have seemed to have established themselves in this suburban community in Southern Netanya, now in the midst of a huge expansion project with no less them twenty construction projects in progress in a large area opposite the present section of Ramat Poleg.
Perhaps being ‘guests’ of the Israel Police may turn out to be beneficial to both Assi and his friend Naim, just as it was for another colorful character, Zeev Rosenstein, himself a target of numerous assassination attempts. Although a bit restricted, being out of circulation can be beneficial to one’s health, as Mr. Rosenstein found out. Those living in Ramat Poleg can now rest a bit easier as long as Assi remains in Police custody – especially when they walk or jog past his residence. Another man allegedly ‘known in town’, Nikko Shirazi, also lives in Ramt Poleg and is reputed to be a good friend and possible business associate of Assi as well. In fact, their relationship even reached the point of an announcement being made in a local weekly newspaper of the engagement and pending marriage of Assi daughter to Nikko Shirazi’s son. After all, families who play together stay together.
Maybe that’s why Assi is smiling that boyish grin of his so much these days. In a way, he has a lot to thankful for. For one thing, the marriage of his daughter; and another thing, he hasn’t yet become a victim of some of that material he is now accused of trying to sell. So, life can’t be all bad for Assi and his friends. In fact, things just might be looking up for him.
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