IDF nabs 5 Islamic Jihad terrorists
Suspects planned to abduct IDF soldier, fire rockets at IDF post
JERUSALEM - Five Islamic Jihad terrorists who planned to kidnap an IDF soldier stationed in the Jerusalem area were arrested by security forcesThursday.
During questioning, the five admitted to also planning to fire an RPG rocket at an IDF post.
In addition, IDF troops arrested two Palestinians south of the West Bank town of Hebron after they were caught trying to smuggle weapons into Israel.
Meanwhile, security officials announced Wednesday they had foiled an Islamic Jihad double suicide bombing in northern Jerusalem.
The terror plot was thwarted following a series of arrests at the beginning of the week in the Bethlehem and Jerusalem areas. So far, IDF troops have arrested six members.
Shin Bet agents working in conjunction with the IDF, the Border Guard's undercover unit, and the Jerusalem police, were able to apprehend the Islamic Jihad terrorists. The suspects are believed to belong to the terror cell behind the last suicide bombing at the Stage nightclub in Tel Aviv.
Following the arrests, forces recovered bags containing explosive charges placed in cardboard boxes. The explosive material was supplemented by nails and shrapnel in order to increase the damage to victims.
During the subsequent interrogation, the terrorists confessed that they attempted to dispatch suicide bombers from the northern West Bank on two separate occasions this week.
Following the arrests, security officials said the latest terror plot demonstrates the Islamic Jihad's unwillingness to submit to intra-Palestinian truce understandings and continuous attempt to strike at targets inside Israel.
