Border Police (file)
Border Police (file)Kobi Gideon/Flash90

Police and Border Police forces prevented an attack in Jerusalem's Old City, by a Palestinian terrorist who had only been released from prison two days earlier.

Officers stopped the 28-year-old Arab suspect in the Old City after noticing him acting suspiciously.

Upon questioning it became clear he was a Palestinian Authority resident inside Israeli sovereign territory illegally, and he was taken in for further questioning by police. There, it was discovered that the suspect had only been released from prison two days earlier, having served a sentence for unspecified security crimes.

After he was released, the terrorist returned to his home near Ramallah, and one day later traveled illegally to Jerusalem, apparently with the intent to attack security forces stationed there.

The Arab terrorist had also been arrested in 2004 for attempting to stab a police officer at an entrance to the Temple Mount, and served six years for that crime.

Yesterday (Monday), the terrorist admitted to interrogators that he had indeed been planning an attack when he was detained. His remand is set to be extended by Jerusalem District Court today.

A statement by the Jerusalem Police praised its officers for their "alertness and vigilance," in stopping a potentially deadly attack.