Jerusalem – Security forces uncovered a Hamas cell that planned to carry out a shooting attack at military forces during the past Purim holiday, the Shin Bet announced on Tuesday.
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The cell’s members come from the Palestinian town of Abu Dis, east of Jerusalem. They purchased a vehicle, and carried out firearms training, while also gathering intelligence on targets, the shin Bet added.
“They were arrested before being able to carry out the attack. We have seized firearms in the course of the investigation,” the intelligence agency stated.
Suspects arrested at the start of March have been named as Ma’an Sa’ar, the alleged head of the cell, from the Palestinian village of Burka in the northern West Bank, who worked at the Abu Dis University cafeteria. Sa’ar, a Hamas member, served a prison sentence from 2009 to 2011 for his involvement in a shooting attack on the IDF.
A second suspect, Daoud Adwan, of Azariya, a Hamas member, also served time in prison in the past, and had expertise in handgun use, the Shin Bet said.
“During questioning by the Shin Bet, it emerged that Ma’an is the one who began, in recent months, to form a plan to carry out the attack, which was initially planned for Jerusalem. He drafted Daoud, and the latter, due to difficulties in carrying out an attack in the city, suggested changing the target to the Kiosk checkpoint at the entrance to Jerusalem,” the Shin Bet said in a statement. “Ma’an also planned to draft an additional operative to act as a driver, and assist in the get away of the shooter from the scene of the attack.”
The cell was in a highly advanced stage of planning, according to the Shin Bet, and practiced firing with a Kalashnikov and a 9 millimeter caliber handgun. The cell rented out a vehicle, which it planned to burn in a forest near Azariya after the attack.
The suspects will be charged at the Judea Military Court in the coming days. The investigation underlines “the high motivation by Hamas to carry out attacks in Jerusalem and its environment, and the danger posed by Hamas members who return to the cycle of terrorism after being released from prison,” the Shin Bet said.
Content is provided courtesy of the Jerusalem Post