Israeli Jew smuggled Palestinian suicide bomber into Israel for US$220

An Israeli Jew Kfir Levy, 25, was charged with manslaughter for helping a suicide bomber from Palestine to reach the site of the attack on the territory of Israel.

Kfir Levy, 25, from the Tel Aviv suburb of Ramat Gan, is accused of helping the bomber, who killed five Israelis when he blew up July 12 in the coastal city of Netanya, get from the West Bank to Israel.

Levy was arrested recently along with two Israeli Arabs and a West Bank Palestinian, said a statement issued by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's office. Security officials only authorized publication of the arrests on Tuesday.

The statement said Levy and an Israeli Arab partner transported the bomber through a checkpoint into the Arab Israeli town of Taibeh, taking advantage of their Israeli citizenship to get through the roadblock without undergoing a security check. The statement said Levy received 1,000 shekels (US$220, Ђ180).

A second Israeli Arab then transported the bomber to the coastal city of Netanya, where he killed five people and wounded 88 others. Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the bombing.

The suspects were charged with manslaughter, Israeli media reported.

Israel Radio quoted Levy's attorney as saying that his client thought the Palestinian worked in Israel and didn't know he was a suicide bomber.

Last year, an Israeli cab driver was convicted of involuntary manslaughter for unwittingly driving a Palestinian suicide bomber to an attack side. The driver also said he had no idea the men were planning an attack, the AP reports.