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Hamas targets Beitar Jerusalem fans (archives)
Photo: Tal Shahar
Bassam Omri
Moussa Hamada

Hamas plan: Missile at soccer match

Shin Bet investigation reveals two east Jerusalem residents visited hill overlooking capital's Teddy Stadium in search for suitable location for terror attack, purchased guns and tried to buy rifles and explosive devices. Probe also uncovers Hamas activity on Temple Mount

Cleared for publication: Two Hamas members from east Jerusalem were indicted Sunday on suspicion of planning to fire a missile at Jerusalem's Teddy Stadium during an Israeli premier league soccer match. Their remand was extended by two weeks.

 

According to a Shin Bet investigation, the two men – Moussa Hamada of Sur Baher and Bassam Omri of Beit Safafa – began planning the terrorist activity after the Israeli operation in Gaza. One of their plans was to fire at missile at the stadium during a soccer match.

 

The two visited a hill overlooking the stadium in order to locate the best place for the attack and collected information on the area. However their plan did not materialize into action.

 

The investigation revealed that the two – who were also active in the Muslim Brotherhood movement – purchased a number of guns and attempted to buy rifles and explosive devices. Moussa's cousins, Mahmoud and Amer Hamada, were involved in the weapons' purchase and in attempts to hide them.

 

The guns were bought from Balal Bahtan, who lives in the east Jerusalem neighborhood of Beit Hanina. All the suspects were arrested, questioned and confessed to their involvement in purchasing the weapons.


Teddy Stadium (Archive photo: Atta Awisat)

 

Moussa Hamada visited Saudi Arabia several times in the past two years for meetings with a Muslim Brotherhood representative. During one of the meetings, the Saudi gave him money to purchase the weapons in return for collecting information on places in Jerusalem.

 

The investigation also uncovered extensive Hamas activity in Jerusalem in general, and on the Temple Mount in particular, including maintenance activities on the Mount and bringing groups of students and other visitors to the al-Aqsa mosque – all subsidized by Hamas.

 

The indictments, filed with the Jerusalem District Court, accuse Moussa Hamada and Bassam Omri of being members and supporters of a terrorist organization, committing weapon offenses and conspiring to commit a crime. The other suspects, who aided the two men, were indicted for arms dealing and other offenses.

 

Aviad Glickman, Hanan Greenberg and Yair Altman contributed to this report

 

 


פרסום ראשון: 01.02.11, 12:42
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