(Communicated by the ISA)
The following has been cleared for publication:
The Israel Security Agency (ISA), in cooperation with the IDF, recently uncovered a terrorist cell that had been recruited by senior Hamas operatives from the Gaza Strip in order to carry out a suicide car bombing on or around 9 April 2019, the date of the elections.
Yehiye Abu Dia, 23, a resident of A-Zaim who identifies with the Hamas terrorist organization, was arrested on 31 March 2019.
In his ISA interrogation, it was learned that Abu Dia had been in contact with senior Hamas operatives in the Gaza Strip via the internet, had been recruited for military activities, and agreed to carry out missions and act as a suicide bomber.
In his contacts with Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip, Abu Dia was instructed to purchase a car and rent a storage facility in order to prepare the car bomb and also to monitor the best site for the attack in the area of Ma’aleh Adumim where there would be a high concentration of buses, civilians and soldiers.
Abu Dia followed instructions, observed crowded locales and reported to the cell, which chose the optimal site and directed him to carry out the attack quickly.
Yehiye Abu Dia, 23, resident of A-Zaim, arrested by ISA
As part of preparations for the attack, Abu Dia was instructed by the Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip to photograph a will on behalf of the Hamas military wing. Abu Dia planned to film himself reading his will, with a Hamas military wing ribbon tied around his head, prior to setting out and purchased a tripod for this purpose.
Abu Dia will be indicted in the coming days.
A senior ISA official noted: “The Hamas terrorist infrastructure in the Gaza Strip is constantly working to recruit Hamas operatives from the Judea and Samaria to carry out murderous terror attacks in order to undermine the security and stability of the area. This activity by the Hamas military wing joins a long list of attempted attacks in recent years directed by Hamas in the Gaza Strip through militants recruited in Judea and Samaria that have been foiled by the ISA and which have led to many people being imprisoned. The ISA and the security forces will continue anti-terrorism operations against Hamas.”