Suicide bombing thwarted

Suicide bombing thwarted

  • 6/6/2004
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    A suicide bombing attack was thwarted when a powerful explosive charge was uncovered near an UNRWA school in the village of Silwad, north of Ramallah.
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    (Communicated by the IDF Spokesman)

    A suicide bombing attack was thwarted tonight when a powerful explosive charge, weighing 25 kg, was uncovered  outside an UNRWA school in the village of Silwad, north of Ramallah. The explosive charge was intended to be used in a suicide bombing attack against IDF soldiers at the Kalandia checkpoint, north of Jerusalem, in the coming days.

    The uncovering of the explosive charge followed intensive IDF and ISA activity in the past few days, during which eight Tanzim terrorists were arrested. These arrests led to the discovery of a Tanzim cell based in Nablus and backed by Hizbullah and Iran.

    Background Information

    The leader of the terror cell is Khalil Ariyashi, 24 years old, a wanted Tanzim operative from the Balata refugee camp in Nablus. Ariyashi recruited the suicide bomber, Mahaned Karini, 18 years old from the Askar refugee camp in Nablus. Karini was arrested on June 4, 2004. The suicide bomber was driven by Mahmud Hufash, 22 years old, from the village of Marda who was arrested on June 5, 2004. Another operative who was to assist in driving the suicide bomber was Nidal Hamed, 22 years old, from the Village of Silwad who was arrested on June 4, 2004.

    On the morning of June 4, 2004, the suicide bomber received a 25 kg explosive charge transferred separately from Nablus to Ramallah by Amar Mussa from the village of Marda. Nidal Hamed armed the explosive charge and led the suicide bomber to Kalandia, where the suicide bomber failed in carrying out the planned suicide bombing attack. Karini returned to Ramallah where he stayed in a hideout apartment, while Allah Hamed, 23 years old and Mustafa Hamed, 19 years old hid the explosive charge in the village of Silwad. Karini was arrested on June 4, 2004.

    On June 5, 2004, intensive IDF and ISA activity aimed at stopping the suicide bombing attack began. After an investigation and arrest, the explosive charge was located and detonated in a controlled manner by zappers. A total of eight wanted Tanzim operatives were arrested, five of them residents of the village of Silwad.