(Communicated by the IDF Spokesman)
In a joint IDF, ISA and Israel Police arrest operation today (Tuesday, July 19, 2005) in the village of Yamun, northwest of Jenin, Ibrahim Abhara and Warad Abhara, heads of the Islamic Jihad terror infrastructure in Yamun were killed. The two were involved in planning and carrying out numerous deadly terror attacks against Israeli targets and persisted in doing so during the recent period of declared calm.
This morning (Tuesday), during an arrest operation in the village of Yamun, west of Jenin, forces encircled the building in which several wanted terrorists were hiding. The forces called for the wanted men to exit the structure and arrested two wanted Palestinians who came out of the building and surrendered. The forces called repeatedly for the other terrorists to exit the building but the terrorists remained inside the building. The forces began to demolish the structure, at which point two wanted terrorists exited the building, wearing flak jackets and armed with guns and grenades and opened fire at the soldiers. The soldiers returned fire and the two terrorists were killed in the exchange of fire.
Ibrahim Abhara - 28 years old and a resident of the village of Yamun, Abhara was the head of the Islamic Jihad and Tanzim terror infrastructures in Yamun. He was an expert in the production of explosive devices, explosive belts and was one of the leading manufactureres of explosive devices in the Jenin area. He was involved in planning and dispatching numerous suicide bombing attacks, shooting attacks and the detonation of explosive devices, some of these were thwarted by security forces. A bullet proof vest and an M-5 assault rifle were found near his body.
Warad Abhara - 27 years old and a resident of the village of Yamun, Abhara was Ibrahim Abhara's top aid, and headed the Islamic Jihad and Tanzim infrastructure in Yamun with him, aiding him in planning and dispatching terror attacks. Warad was an explosives expert. A bullet proof vest and M-16 assault rifle were found near his body.
The terrorists Ibrahim Abhara and Warad Abhara headed the Islamic Jihad and Tanzim infrastructure in Yamun, one of the most active and dangerous infrastructures in the Samaria region. The infrastructure is connected to terror factions overseas and to the Islamic Jihad and Tanzim infrastructure in Jenin. This infrastructure is responsible for carrying out several terror attacks against Israeli targets.
The two were responsible for the manufacturing and distribution of explosive devices and belts, recruiting and dispatching suicide bombers, planning suicide bombing attacks, gathering knowledge and means to develop projectile weapon capabilities and planning and carrying out many explosive device and shooting attacks against IDF forces.
- December 2001 - Ibrahim Abhara prepared the explosive belt and dispatched the suicide bomber to the "Check Post" public bus station in Haifa where 29 Israeli civilians were wounded.
- June 2003 - Ibrahim Abhara dispatched two suicide bombers into Israel and is suspected of having prepared an additional explosive device in a planning triple terror attack inside Israel. This attack was thwarted by security forces.
- June 2003 - Ibrahim Abhara made the explosive device and dispatched a suicide bomber to Sde Trumot near Beit She'an. An Israeli civilian was killed in the bombing.
- September 2004 - Ibrahim and Warad Abhara were involved in planning to dispatch a terror attack into Israel, apparently to be carried out in Afula. The two prepared an explosive device and concealed it inside a bag for the bomber, and the device was smuggled into Israel hidden in a flour sack to the Dir Hana area. The bag was smuggled into Israel when Warad Abhara's brother went with his family to an olive tree harvest in the Dir Hana area and concealed the device in his family's luggage. This terror attempt was thwarted when the device smuggler, would-be suicide bomber and additional aids were arrested before the attack could be carried out.
- October 2004 - Ibrahim Abhara was suspected of having provided the weapon used to carry out a shooting attack at an IDF base near Mevo Dotan in which an IDF soldier was killed.