(Communicated by Israeli security sources)

In a joint ISA and IDF operation tonight in the city of Jenin, IDF forces arrested Islamic Jihad terrorist Ashraf Mahmoud Husseini Awidat, who was hiding in the student dormitories of the American University in Zebabda.

Awidat, 19, had served during the past few months as an assistant to Iyad Abu El-Roub, the head of the Islamic Jihad in Jenin, who was arrested on November 24th.

Awidat was in charge of recruiting new members into the Islamic Jihad terror organization, and of recruiting terrorists to carry out suicide bombings for the organization. According to security forces' information, Awidat had been engaged in planning another suicide bombing inside Israel.

Awidat is also suspected of involvement in the suicide bombing in Hadera on October 26th of this year, in which six Israeli civilians were murdered and dozens were wounded.