(Shin Bet)
Bomb confiscated by Shin Bet

Prime Minister Netanyahu commended “the operational-intelligence effort that led to the thwarting of a terrorist attack that Hamas planned to carry out on our territory.”

By David Jablinowitz 

The Shin Bet, Israel’s domestic security agency, says it thwarted plans by members of the Hamas terror group from Hebron to carry out a bomb attack in Jerusalem earlier this summer. The agency says that it has confiscated the explosive device, weighing three kilograms (about six-and-a-half pounds), that was intended for use in the attack.

The security agency says that, in addition, terrorists were taken in by Israeli forces in recent months for allegedly having received directives from Hamas in the Gaza Strip to carry out attacks against both Israeli and Palestinian Authority targets.

“The operatives in Judea and Samaria were instructed to form cells in order to carry out kidnappings, shootings, stabbings, purchase weaponry, and to find and induct additional operatives for terrorist activities,” the Shin Bet said in its statement.

A member of the cell which was said to have been planning the Jerusalem attack was identified as Tamer Rajah Rajbi, a university student.

“During his arrest, Tamer handed over an explosive device that weighs three kilograms (6.6 pounds), which had dozens of pieces of metal attached to it to maximize fragmentation and injury in the explosion. The device was meant to be used to carry out a bombing attack,” the Shin Bet says, adding that Tamer had trained to manufacture bombs and was recruited for this purpose.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday commended the Shin Bet, IDF and police “for the operational-intelligence effort that led to the thwarting of a terrorist attack that Hamas planned to carry out on our territory,” adding that “our enemies should know that our long arm will reach whoever tries to attack us.”