Materials for makeshift bomb found in cell of maximum security prisoner

Parts of a makeshift bomb were found in the cell of an inmate serving a life sentence in a prison in southern Israel, authorities said Wednesday.

Guards searching the cell of the inmate at Ohalei Keidar Prison, a maximum security facility near Beersheba, found the partially constructed makeshift explosive under the inmate’s mattress Monday, according to the Israel Prison Service.

The improvised explosive included batteries, wires with metal leads and a small bottle of an undisclosed flammable chemical, apparently contained within a coffee canister.

Guards also found a hand-drawn schematic for an explosive device and a improvised knife.

The search was carried out following a tip received by the Prison Service, the Ynet news site reported.

The inmate was named by the Walla news site as Osama Abu Diab, who is serving a life sentence for killing his fiancée and burning her body.

A Prison Service official was quoted saying that the inmate had tried in the past to construct a bomb, but that attempt was also foiled.