Israeli security forces nab terror cell targeting motorists on Route 443
The cell was formed to avenge the death of a man from their village who was killed while perpetrating a terror attack in Beit Horon, Shin Bet says.
By JPOST.COM STAFFA Palestinian protester hurls a Molotov cocktail towards Israeli troops during clashes near Israel's Ofer Prison near Ramallah(photo credit: REUTERS)
Security forces have arrested a number of Palestinian residents of the village of Bit Or al-Tahta in the Binyamin region of the West Bank in recent months for allegedly throwing stones and Molotov cocktails at cars on Route 443 north of Jerusalem.The suspects also targeted IDF soldiers operating in the area, according to a Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) statement released on Thursday.The suspected terror cell consisted of some 12 people, some of whom were minors, who carried out six stone and Molotov-cocktail throwing attacks.According to the Shin Bet, the cell sought to not only harm Israelis driving on Route 443 with the attacks, but also intended for the attacks to draw Israeli soldiers to the area, who they could then clash with.The cell was formed in order to avenge the the death of Ibrahim Allan, a man from their village who was killed while carrying out a terror attack in the settlement of Beit Horon in January. Allan and a partner killed Shlomit Krigman and wounded another Israeli woman in that attack.The suspects' cases were transferred to military prosecutors in Judea. Some of them have already been indicted, while others have yet to be charged, the Shin Bet said.