(Kobi Gideon/Flash90)
Israeli security forces thwarted a plot by Palestinian terrorists to attack Jewish worshipers at the burial site of the biblical Joseph situated in Judea and Samaria.
The Israel Security Agency (ISA) and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) arrested a terror cell for plotting an attack against Israeli civilians at Joseph’s Tomb in Samaria, the IDF announced on Tuesday.
The cell planned to plant IEDs and fire towards the worshipers at the burial site of the biblical Joseph. The cell received directives from Rafat Mohamed Darwish, an operative of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) in the Gaza Strip. Darwish is responsible for connecting the PIJ in Gaza to Palestinian terrorists Judea and Samaria. In this case, Darwish was in charge of arming the cell in order to execute the attack.
The cell members arrested are:
Nisim Muhamad Ramdan Rashid Damiri, 30, a resident of the Palestinian town of Tulkarm in Samaria. Previously arrested on multiple occasions, he is associated with the Tanzim terrorist group – a faction of Fatah, the ruling party of the Palestinian Authority chaired by PA head Mahmoud Abbas.
Muhamad Mufak Rafik Damiri, 23, a resident of Tulkarm. Damiri served as a Palestinian policeman under the PA.
Terrorists belonging to Palestinian Islamic Jihad. (AP)
Yasir Gaudet Abed Zaruri, 25, a resident of Nablus (Shechem) in Samaria. Zarui was been previously arrested and is a Hamas operative.
Aduen Padel Hassan Nazel, 24, a resident of Qabatiya in Samaria and a PIJ operative.
During the investigation it was revealed that each member of the cell held a specific position, such as acquiring weapons, intelligence gathering and executing the attack.
Zaruri had planned to teach Nisim Damiri how to prepare an IED. Nazel conceded that he was contacted by Darwish from the Gaza Strip, who requested he supply the cell with weapons for the attack.
The case has been transferred to the Military Court in the Samaria Region in order to indict the four terrorists.
The investigation reveals the “clear and continued intent of operatives in the Gaza Strip to recruit terrorists as well as direct and lead terror activities in the Judea and Samaria region,” the IDF stated.
By: United with Israel
With files from the IDF
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