Three Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist operatives were arrested in the northern Samarian town of Ya’bad in January after they planned to carry out bombing attacks against Israeli soldiers, the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) announced on Thursday.
The trio “acted under the directives of the PIJ headquarters in Lebanon, to carry out significant attacks, using remote-detonated explosives against IDF troops in the area,” the Shin Bet said.
Two of the terrorists—Ahmed Abu Bakr, 29, and Ibrahim Abu Bakr, 29— are senior Islamic Jihad operatives who were in contact with the group’s headquarters in Lebanon. They received funding, largely in cryptocurrency, for the attacks.
Ibrahim recruited Ya’bad resident Ibadah Abu Bakr, 18, to build the bombs. In preparation for an attack, Ahmed and Ibraham carried out tests with remote-controlled bombs, according to the Shin Bet.
They were arrested as part of a joint operation of the agency and the Israel Defense Forces.
During the arrest, troops confiscated several primed explosive devices.
Indictments were filed against the three men in the Samaria Military Court.