Shin Bet nabs two Palestinian terror cells planning attacks
Fatah militants said responsible for 2016 pipe bomb attack outside Jerusalem and Hamas-linked group from Hebron arrested by security agency in January
Judah Ari Gross is The Times of Israel's religions and Diaspora affairs correspondent.
The Shin Bet security service broke up a two-man Fatah terror cell outside of Jerusalem in January that was allegedly responsible for a pipe bomb attack, in which an IDF soldier was wounded last October, the agency revealed Wednesday.
The Shin Bet said that it also arrested two more Palestinian men outside of Hebron in January for allegedly planning to carry out a shooting attack on “Israeli security forces and civilians” on behalf of the Hamas terror group.
The alleged pipe bomb-throwers were part of the “al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigade,” Fatah’s military wing, and came from the West Bank village of al-Ram, northeast of Jerusalem, the Shin Bet said.
On Wednesday evening, police released a video of the raids, showing Border Police officers entering the homes of the two alleged terrorists under the cover of darkness and arresting them.
On October 10, a group of soldiers were in al-Ram making preparations for the demolition of the home of a Palestinian terrorist who opened fire at Israelis, killing two of them, in Jerusalem the day before.
It was then that the two suspects allegedly threw the pipe bomb at the troops. Shrapnel from the explosive struck one of the soldiers, lightly injuring him.
According to the Shin Bet, the two men were also behind a number of other incidents besides the October attack, in which Molotov cocktails and improvised explosive devices were thrown at soldiers.
“In addition, the cell members planned to carry out shooting attacks at security forces in the area,” the agency added.
The unnamed suspects were picked up on January 9, the agency said, but details of the case remained secret until Wednesday.
In addition, on January 30, the Shin Bet picked up Mohannad Jabber Mahmoud Abu Sal, 28, and Ahmad Abd al-Rahman Hasan Abu Sal, 25, who are suspected of planning to carry out shooting attacks for the Hamas terrorist group, the agency said..
The two men came from the al-Aroub refugee camp, outside Hebron. The younger Abu Sal previously served time for belonging to Hamas, the Shin Bet said.
Ahmad Abd al-Rahman Hasan Abu Sal operated as the head of the cell and was tasked with acquiring the guns for the attack, the Shin Bet said.
The security agency said it handed over the findings of its investigation to military prosecutors and indictments are expected in coming days.
