Boy pressed to carry out attack
Palestinian boy detained by IDF threatened by terrorists, told he must carry out suicide bombing in Israel. Terror suspects forced youngster to write will, photographed him with weapons, Quran
The story was cleared for publication Wednesday morning.
The boy initially refused to carry out the attack, but members of the Tanzim terror organization apparently pressured him and convinced him to perpetrate the attack. Meanwhile, forces also arrested several other wanted terror suspects across the West Bank.
In his interrogation, the boy said a wanted Tanzim terror suspect from the Balata refugee camp in Nablus, Rabia Abu Leil, asked him to carry out the attack. The youngster attempted to evade the request to blow himself up by arguing he is an only child. However, the pressures on him continued, and another terror suspect, Jamal Tarawi, also joined in and attempted to convince the boy to strike in Israel.
The boy was then taken by the terrorists to an apartment where other terror suspects were staying. There, he was photographed with flags and weapons. After he begged to be let go, he was threatened with murder and told the terrorists will distribute a leaflet accusing him of collaboration with the IDF.
When he was asked to write a will, the youngster said he cannot read or write, but eventually wrote the will by himself. Later, he was photographed again, this time wearing a flak jacket and holding a gun and a Quran.
The boy was eventually released, and then turned to his relatives and asked that they help him avoid carrying out the attack.
Security officials said the latest incident is not isolated, and noted that since the beginning of the year they have seen a marked increase in the number of minors recruited for the purpose of carrying out attacks and military activity, despite the relative lull in violence.
The cynical phenomenon of using children is particularly used by Tanzim terror suspects in Nablus, the officials said.
Terror suspects detained
Meanwhile, IDF forces carried out several military operations Tuesday night in the West Bank.
One Tanzim member, responsible for shooting attacks, was arrested in the Haras village, southwest of Qalqiilya.
Forces surrounded the suspect's house and called for him to leave the building. Six people promptly left the house, but the suspect was not one of them.
Troops then entered the home and found the suspect hiding in a kitchen cupboard. He was detained without the use of force and no injuries or damages were reported during the arrest.
The IDF also arrested two Tanzim activists in Bethlehem.
In addition, troops detained a Hamas member in the Dahariya village, southwest of Hebron. Forces arrived at the suspect's home, where he opened fire at the troops several times.
Forces had to demolish part of the structure in order to detain the suspect. They found a Kalashnikov rifle in his possession, as well as a vest with six magazines, five filled with bullets. No injuries were reported during the arrest.
Two additional Hamas members were arrested in Dahariya.
