Bethlehem Terror Cells Planning Large-Scale Bombing Arrested
Israel's security services said today they had arrested several terror cells comprised of 16 residents of Bethlehem planning a series of large-scale terror attacks in Jerusalem, HA'ARETZ reported. The cells planned to launch two pairs of suicide bombers to the Mea She'arim neighborhood in the capital, and to carry out a terror attack using an explosive-laden ambulance. Also attributed to one of the cells is a plan to attack a bus carrying worshippers to Rachel's Tomb near Bethlehem.
Based on details released today by security forces, Hamas was meant to provide the suicide bombers for the missions, while Islamic Jihad was supposed to supply the explosive devices. Some of those arrested, including the would-be suicide bombers, served in the Palestinian national security services. Among those arrested is Hamed Dar'awi, an active member in the PA's national security services, who is said to have been the planner of the ambulance attack.
Meanwhile, Israel Defense Forces troops surrounding the West Bank city of Nablus tightened their formation today out of fear that suicide bombers could try to leave the city to carry out terror attacks, as a 16-year-old Palestinian boy did before exploding himself in Tel Aviv.
Investigators Attempt to Determine Tel Aviv Bomber's Route into Israel
Investigators are seeking to determine the route taken by 16-year-old suicide bomber Amar al-Far, and find out who assisted him after he left his home in the Askar refugee camp near Nablus at 7:30 Monday morning, blowing himself up just over three hours later in Tel Aviv's Carmel Market, THE JERUSALEM POST reported. It was the 14th suicide bombing inside Israel this year. Security forces have arrested 15 potential suicide bomb attackers in the West Bank since September, the majority from the Nablus area. Security officials said that 48 Palestinian fugitives arrested in the past two months were from the Nablus area. Zaynab Salem, the female suicide bomber who blew up in Jerusalem's French Hill in September, was also from the Askar refugee camp.
Far was recruited by the Popular Front for the Liberation in Palestine's Abu Ali Mustafa Brigades. Security officials have yet to determine if Far was driven from Nablus to Jerusalem and from there to Tel Aviv, and just where he was fitted with the explosives belt. Officials also want to know where Far entered Israel, realizing that the security fence in the North forces terrorists to move southward towards Jerusalem or the southern Hebron Hills, where the security fence has not yet been constructed.
Far's mother Samir Abdullah told reporters that those who recruited and dispatched her son made a mistake "in taking advantage of someone too young to understand the meaning of his actions." His father, Abed al-Rahim, told reporters that his son woke him up early in the morning and asked him for two shekels before leaving home.
Senior Al-Aksa Terrorists Arrested
Three senior Fatah Al-Aksa Brigades fugitives were killed in a gun battle with Israel Defense Forces soldiers in Nablus's old city Monday night, THE JERUSALEM POST reported. Acting on intelligence information, elite IDF forces entered the area searching for the fugitives with the intention of arresting them. When soldiers reached the wanted Al-Aksa members, a gun battle broke out, in which the three gunmen were killed. Senior Al-Aksa Brigade member Majdi Marai was numbered among the dead. According to IDF sources, Marai was in the midst of planning suicide bomb attacks to be carried out within Israel. He was also responsible for dispatching the young Palestinian boys who tried to infiltrate explosive belts through the Hawara roadblock near Nablus in March and April of this year. The boys were arrested by security forces, thwarting the potential attacks.
In the Gaza Strip, Border Police and IDF sappers blew up a 30-kilo bomb placed by Palestinians near the north Gaza security fence on Monday. In the Morag hothouse area in south Gaza, security forces blew up two ten kilo bombs placed by Palestinians in the area.
Jerusalem Goes Wireless
The new Unwire Jerusalem program, which provides free wireless Internet access in selected public places, was launched Monday at a ceremony at City Hall, THE JERUSALEM POST reported. The program, which is the first of its kind in Israel, allows tourists and business people visiting the Ben Yehuda pedestrian mall and its side streets, the Rivlin-Nahalat Shiva mall, Kikar Safra, and Rehov Shlomzion Hamalka to surf the Internet and receive e-mail on their WiFi-enabled computers. Other areas, such as Emek Refaim, the Hebrew University, government offices, schools, museums, malls, and parks, will also be unwired shortly.
The project was headed by the municipality, international chip giant Intel, IT services provider Compumat, and the nonprofit Jerusalem Business Development Corporation (JBDC). Services were also provided by Cisco Systems, Check Point Software Technologies, 012 Golden Lines, and venture-capital fund JVP.
Israel About to Close $230m. Drone Deal with India
Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) is about to close a $230 million deal with the Indian army for the sale of about 50 Heron/Eagle drones, HA'ARETZ reported. According to the agreement, IAI will sell India the drones, officially called unmanned aerial vehicles, as well as a ground station, communication equipment and intelligence-gathering devices that use optics and radar. The drones carry an electro-optical payload system and maritime patrol radar, according to IAI.
Heron/Eagle is a Medium-Altitude Long-Endurance type unmanned aerial vehicle that can operate at a distance of more than 1,000 kilometers and at altitudes above 25,000 feet for more than 24 hours, providing real-time intelligence. The system also features automatic take-off and landing, integrated mission planning and sensor technology, and can simultaneously carry a wide range of payloads.
Other News in Brief
* Former ministers Avidgor Liberman and Benny Eilon, together with MK Tzvi Hendel, have announced the breakup of the right wing National Union party, MA'ARIV reported. According to the three, who spoke to reporters this afternoon at the Knesset, the two parties that originally merged into one will re-split, and run in the next elections as two separate groups - Yisrael Beitienu (Israel is our home) and Moledet-Tkuma. Liberman, Alon and Hendel noted that the reason for the breakup was mainly due to the unsuccessful voter adaptation of secular and religious platforms.
Economic & High-Tech News
* Aladdin Knowledge Systems is introducing its eToken USB keys to create secure chat rooms for children and adolescents, THEMARKER.COM reported. Through the company's authentication technology, the age and identity of participants will be confirmed in order to block out sexual predators posing as youngsters. Aladdin formed a consortium earlier this year with several major companies including VeriSign, Microsoft, Yahoo! and AOL to implement a U.S. nationwide project, funded by Congress, in which some 50 to 60 million teenagers will participate.
* Carmel Carpets Israel is planning to establish a factory in Atlanta, Georgia, a global carpet center, GLOBES reported. The factory will be established in partnership with a U.S. carpet maker. Most of Carmel Carpets' exports are to the U.S. market. Carmel Carpets' Israel center will continue to design the collection in Israel, while production will take place in the U.S. Sales in the North American market will be carried out through Carmel Carpets' existing distribution channels based in New York and Los Angeles. The company will also set up a third distribution center for the Midwest and Florida.
[Today's Israel Line was prepared by Victor Chemtob at the Consulate General of Israel in New York.]