It was released for publication on Wednesday that an Israeli-Arab was arrested several weeks ago for planning to carry out a bus-bombing attack in the city of Hadera.

The operation was carried out with the cooperation of the Shin Bet and the elite counterterrorism Gideonim Unit (Unit 33) of Israel Police.

The suspect, Muhammad Nadir Mahajana, a 20-year-old resident of Umm al-Fahm, was arrested after being recruited to carry out the attack by the Hamas terror organization. He was found with media used to communicate with Hamas in the Gaza Strip in his possession.

The Shin Bet investigation revealed that the terrorist compiled information about possible locations to carry out an attack, with a focus on crowded areas and defense facilities, and sent the information to Hamas operatives in the Gaza Strip.

He was ultimately ordered by Hamas to carry out a deadly bombing attack on the 921 bus line in the Hadera area and had already carried out several steps to prepare for the attack prior to his arrest.

A statement from a Shin Bet said: “The investigation of the incident once again reveals the efforts of Hamas to promote terrorist activity within Israel, while trying to publicly distance its involvement, at the same time as falsely presenting that it wants to promote the regularization of the Gaza Strip. This, while cynically exploiting Israeli citizens and recruiting them for the benefit of terrorist activity.’

“The responsibility for such activities lies with the leadership of Hamas in the Gaza Strip, headed by Yahya Sinwar.

“The Shin Bet, together with the Israel Police, will continue to work to thwart terrorist activity and take all the measures at its disposal in order to protect the security of the State of Israel and its citizens and bring all suspects to justice.”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)