BICOM

Israel’s Shin Bet intelligence agency announced yesterday that it had prevented a Hamas cell from carrying out a shooting attack on Israelis last month at a checkpoint on the outskirts of Jerusalem.

As a result of a joint operation with the IDF and Israeli police, two Hamas members were arrested in the Abu Dis neighbourhood near Jerusalem. They had purchased a vehicle, undergone firearms training, bought weapons and carried out surveillance on their target prior to their arrest. The two men, Ma’an Shaer and Daud Aduan, are both Hamas operatives who have previously served time in Israeli prisons. Shaer had previously been involved in another shooting attack on IDF soldiers.

According to the Shin Bet, “An AK-47 type rifle, as well as a 9mm calibre gun and 40 bullets were found in their disposal.” The two men had originally planned an attack in Jerusalem, but switched their focus to the nearby Wadi Nar checkpoint instead. They planned to recruit a third cell member as a get-away driver.

The Shin Bet said that the two men will be charged in a military court in the coming days. A statement concluded that the operation highlights “the high motivation by Hamas to carry out attacks in Jerusalem and its environment, and the danger posed by Hamas members who return to the cycle of terrorism after being released from prison.”

In February, the Shin Bet announced that it had stopped an 11-strong Hamas cell in Hebron which was planning terrorist attacks against Israelis. Weapons and explosives were uncovered during the investigation, during which cell members admitted planning further attacks in Jerusalem and Hebron involving suicide bombers. Meanwhile, in December and January, suspects were arrested near Ramallah in possession of weapons and confessed to planning a series of attacks, including the kidnapping of an Israeli soldier.