Authorities on Sunday morning 26 Elul 5773 reported that they have prevented a planned bombing attack in Jerusalem’s Mamilla Mall to coincide with the yomtov season. Two Arab residents of the eastern capital employed in the mall were arrested along with three other terrorists allegedly involved in the attack.

The IDF, Jerusalem police, border police all worked with agents of the ISA (Israel Security Agency – Shin Bet) made the arrests as well as uncovering a bomb-making facility.

The two mall employees, in their 20s, were cleaners in the mall and they maintained affiliation with Hamas in Ramallah. The terror cell is headed by Hemdi Hasnin Hemdi Romana, 22, from PA-occupied el-Bireh.

During his Shin Bet interrogation, Hemdi revealed the plot. A search of his home revealed explosives, chemical agents, flyers, and instructions to assemble a bomb. He explained how the two residents of the capital were working with them for they were going to gain access to the mall since they hold Israeli identity cards and were employed in the location.

They were instructed to store the bomb in their lockers and place it in a busy restaurant or store when the mall is full, during Tishrei. The bomb was placed in a gift box to hide it. It has also been learned some of the suspects were involved in planning other attacks including assembling rockets to fire from the Ramallah area and efforts to get handguns to use in shooting attacks against soldiers at the Anata Checkpoint near N. Yerushalayim.

The cell members were indicted in the Jerusalem District Court on Sunday morning.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)