IDF eliminates Jenin terror cell on way to attack Israel

Israel Defense Forces (IDF) eliminated an imminent Palestinian attack on Sunday, killing three terrorists near Jenin who were on their way to attack Israeli civilians. This operation comes just one day after another Islamic Jihad terrorist murdered a heroic Israeli security guard, Chen Amir, in the heart of Tel Aviv.

After the firefight in which IDF soldiers opened fire at a vehicle carrying the terrorists they found an assault rifle and ammunition. The bodies of the terrorists are being held by Israeli authorities.

According to the authorities, the head of the terrorist cell was Naif Abu Suias, 26, who was a resident of the Jenin refugee camp which had harbored several other terrorists. Abu Suias was a “prominent military operative … who was involved in military activity against our forces and in advancing military activity directed by terror elements from the Gaza Strip,” the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) said.

IDF spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said that Abu Suias’s cell had planned to carry out a drive-by shooting against Israeli civilians in Samaria, similar to the one that killed Meir Tamari on May 31. So his killing likely spared the lives of innocent Israelis.

The same terrorist cell had been involved in previous attacks, added Hagari.

“I commend the security forces and the IDF for thwarting a terrorist cell that was on the way to attack Israeli citizens,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said. “We will continue to take action against those who seek to attack us, anywhere and anytime.”

The terrorist who killed Israeli security guard, Chen Amir on the previous day was Kamel Abu Bakr, 22, who was from Rummanah near Jenin. He was a member of Islamic Jihad, a terrorist group that had been hiding out in the Jenin camp for the past six months.

The Shin Bet arrested several of Abu Bakr’s family members in connection with the attack, it was revealed on Sunday because terrorism is often a family affair.

Security services were investigating whether Abu Bakr had accomplices and how he had crossed the security barrier at the 1949 Armistice Line without an entry permit.

Jenin has been a hotbed of terrorist activity for over a year and one thing for certain is that it isn't over.

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