Tel Aviv bus bomb mastermind indicted

JTA — Israel’s military prosecutor filed an indictment against the head of a Palestinian terror cell who organized the bombing of a bus in Tel Aviv.

Ahmad Salah Ahmad Musa, 25, was charged on Wednesday with murder, conspiracy to commit murder, dealing in weapons and materials for war, creating an explosive, membership in an illegal organization and incitement.

Musa recruited other Palestinians to help him plan and carry out the attack.

A bomb planted on the No. 142 bus in central Tel Aviv detonated on Nov. 21 during Israel’s Operation Pillar of Defense as the bus drove near the Kirya, the Israeli military’s headquarters. More than 20 Israeli bus passengers were injured in the attack.

Musa is accused of heading the terror cell as well as making the bombs and recruiting help. It is also believed that he detonated the Tel Aviv bus bomb remotely using a cell phone. He also planned other attacks.

Mohammed Mafarja, 18, was charged last month with planting the bomb. His indictment says he planted the bomb on behalf of Hamas, which runs the Gaza Strip, in order to help them during the conflict.

The teen has Israeli citizenship as part of a Palestinian family unification program and worked in the city of Modi’in. Three other members of the terror cell all from the West Bank, including Musa, were arrested in connection with the attack.