Recent military event of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. A member of the uncovered cell belonged to the PFLP. (Abed Rahim Khatib/Flash90)
In a joint operation, the IDF, Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) and Israel Police exposed and apprehended a terror cell in Judea and Samaria responsible for multiple highway attacks.
Israeli forces uncovered a terror cell that was involved in attacks targeting vehicles on route 443, as well as in the vicinity of Nabi Salih, a Palestinian village in the Ramallah district, and Halamish, a Jewish neighborhood in Samaria also known as Neve Tsuf, according to a press release issued Monday by the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit.
Mahmad Bassam Azmi Azam, 20, and two minors, all residents of the Jadira village north of Jerusalem, confessed during the investigation to hurling molotov cocktails at the route as well as other types of terror attacks.
Indictments have been filed against the members of the cell to the military court in Judea and Samaria.
Earlier this year, several additional terror cells were uncovered and arrested in the area. The cells were responsible for hurling rocks and molotov cocktails and shooting fireworks at cars traveling on route 443, which is a main road linking Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria with central Israeli cities.
Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon on Sunday visited Tahal Sofer, who was injured and hospitalized recently when Palestinian terrorists threw a firebomb at the family car. (Ariel Hermoni/Ministry of Defense)
During the investigation, the press release said, the members of the cell confessed to committing several attacks, including the throwing of molotov cocktails at the Halamish community in addition to hurling explosive devices, shooting fireworks and smoke grenades at a military post adjacent to Nabi Salih military post.
The arrested members gave the names of more than 20 suspects who were involved in these attacks. The suspects have been detained.
Indictments have been filed against four members of the cell to the Judea and Samaria military court.
Among the arrested members were Adalhi Perach Ismael Taha, a 24-year-old activist of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine who had been imprisoned for firing at the Halamish community, and Tzafut Tzakar Rashid Rimawi, a 25-year-old who was formerly arrested for manufacturing explosive devices.
By: United with Israel Staff
(With files from the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit)