TEL AVIV - An elite Border Guard unit killed an Islamic Jihad member from the village of Shufa near the West Bank city of Tul Karem Thursday, but Palestinian sources later said the man was an innocent civilian.
Military sources said the suspect - identified as 30-year-old Muayed Musa - was among those who drove the suicide bomber who carried out the Netanya mall attack more than two weeks ago, killing five people and injuring scores.
However, Palestinian sources said Musa had no connection to the bombing.
During the IDF operation, troops circled the suspect's home and called for him to exit. His father responded by saying that no one was home. Military sources said troops then entered the house and an exchange of fire ensued.
Palestinian sources: He was unarmed
Palestinian sources, however, said Musa was unarmed at the time of the incident, and added that an Israeli apache helicopter circled the home during the operation.
At the time of the Netanya attack, Islamic Jihad
claimed responsibility for the bombing and identified the bomber as Ahmed Abu-Khalil
from the village of Atil, near Tul Karem. However, the suspect killed during Thursday's operation was from the Shufa village south of Tul Karem.
Meanwhile, Palestinian security sources said the Palestinian Authority has no information indicating Musa was a member of one of the Islamic Jihad cells operating in the area, but may have joined the group recently. In any case, he was not considered a key figure in the terror organization, the sources said.
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