Shin Bet busts Palestinian terror cell planning attacks in Jerusalem

Israeli security forces have busted a Palestinian terrorist cell planning attacks in Jerusalem, the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) revealed Tuesday morning.

According to the Shin Bet, the cell was based in Judea and Samaria and operated under the direction of terrorists in the Gaza Strip. It was uncovered in the past few weeks during joint operations by the Shin Bet, IDF and Israel Police.

The Shin Bet identified the cell’s leaders as Tzabri Mahmoud Eram and Ayman Youssef Khalil Zakkut, both from Rafah in southern Gaza.

The two are members of the Popular Resistance Committees, a coalition of terror groups opposed to the Palestinian Authority and its ruling Fatah faction’s relatively conciliatory approach towards Israel.

The PRC is believed to be financed by Iranian proxy and Lebanon-based Hezbollah.

Eram and Zakkut are accused of recruiting and training terrorists in Judea and Samaria and facilitating the smuggling of weapons to them.

Israeli authorities dismantled the cell before the first planned attack, arresting two terrorists linked to the group. Additionally, two brothers from Judea and Samaria were arrested last month on suspicion of plotting a bombing inside the Green Line.

Meanwhile, the IDF revealed on Monday that the terrorist from Lebanon responsible for the March 13 roadside bombing in northern Israel did not infiltrate the border via a tunnel.

The military did not elaborate or explain how the border was penetrated, saying only that the incident was still being investigated.

The bomb, which was placed behind a barrier on Route 65 near Megiddo Junction some 18 miles southeast of Haifa and 37 miles from the Lebanese border, detonated at around 6 a.m., seriously wounding Shareef ad-Din, 21, a resident of the Israeli Arab town of Salem.

The military has not yet named who it believes dispatched the terrorist, but it is suspected that Hezbollah was involved.

Source: jns