Israeli police have been deployed in strength for the funeral of a criminal figure who was killed in a car bombing yesterday.
Yaakov Alperon's assassination in Tel Aviv has prompted fears of a gang war in Israel.
His son Dror, who is on trial on charges of blackmail and extortion, was granted temporary release from custody to attend the funeral in Ranana, on the outskirts of the city.
His father was returning from attending a hearing in the trial when he was killed.
Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said police had set up a dedicated force dubbed Unit 443, with its own intelligence, forensic and investigation sections as well as a flying force of 1,000 officers.
Since July, police have recorded at least five assassination attempts against gang bosses using explosives or automatic weapons.
Police have been giving little away about their investigation but Israeli newspapers said at least five rival crime families were under suspicion.
Mr Alperon had survived at least nine previous assassination attempts, including one in 2005 when four contract killers were flown in from the former Soviet republic of Belarus.
Israeli underworld families are heavily engaged in all of the usual mainstays of organised crime - the drug and flesh trades, large-scale car theft, loan-sharking, gambling and protection rackets.
Several members of Mr Alperon's own family have links with the central committee of the Likud, the right-wing opposition party led by Benjamin Netanyahu, who is one of the front runners to become prime minister after snap parliamentary elections called for next February.
