Shin Bet, police foil ‘pregnant’ suicide bomber plot in Tel Aviv
Palestinians planned to infiltrate Israel by obtaining medical permit for female suspect and dressing her as pregnant woman
Lazar Berman is The Times of Israel's diplomatic reporter
A Palestinian terror cell planning a suicide bombing in Tel Aviv and other attacks was thwarted over the last several months, the Shin Bet security service said Monday.
Five suspects hailing from Jenin and the village Attil in the Tulkarem area of the West Bank planned to infiltrate into Israel by acquiring a permit for the female member of their group to receive medical care in Israel.
She was then to dress as a pregnant Jewish woman and detonate an explosive belt in Tel Aviv, the Shin Bet said in a statement.
The cell members admitted under Shin Bet interrogation to planning to carry out shooting attacks, detonate a mine next to a bus carrying soldiers, and kidnap a soldier as well, according to the internal security agency.
The five were arrested between October and November by IDF forces working with the Shin Bet and police, but the information was only cleared for release Monday.
The names of the suspects were listed as Yasmin Shaban, 31, from Jenin; Munadil Takaz, 22, from Attil; his brother Muatez Takaz, 20, from Attil; Abd al-Haleq Masimi, 22, from Attil; and Marwan Tzadki, 20, from Attil.
The Shin Bet said that the suspects planned to use a safe house inside of Israel to dress Yasmin and prepare her for the attack.
They admitted to being in touch with a terror operative in the Gaza Strip, who told the cell that both Hamas and Islamic Jihad would take credit for the attack.
Security forces found during the arrests an improvised M-16, hunting rifle, ammunition, and explosive material.
Munadil Takaz and Shaban were indicted in the Samaria Military Court for making contact for the purpose of causing death, membership in an illegal organization, and other crimes.
The others will be indicted in the future, the Shin Bet said.
There was no immediate reaction from Palestinian groups.