Two Fatah terrorists from Gaza who were recently arrested in Egypt have admitted to planning major attacks in Tel Aviv, according to Egyptian police. The Fatah men's testimony was reported in the Egyptian daily Al-Masri Al-Youm.
The two were identified as Mohammed Ramadan Abdul Fatah Baraka and Nadal Fathi Hassan.
Baraka and Hassan were among 49 terrorists from a range of Middle Eastern countries who were arrested in the Sinai Peninsula. Egyptian police believe that the 49 formed a cell led by Hizbullah operative Sami Shihab. Shihab has allegedly confessed to coordinating Hizbullah activity in Egypt.
Police say Baraka and Hassan joined the Hizbullah-led cell more than a year ago. The two entered Egypt along with hundreds of thousands of other Gaza residents when Hamas blew up large segments of the Egypt-Gaza security barrier, met Shihab, and agreed to join him.
The two were caught and forced to return to Gaza, but quickly re-entered Egypt through a tunnel under the border, and returned to the cell. They planned to continue their terrorist training in Sudan and Syria, then to infiltrate Israel and carry out major suicide attacks in Tel Aviv.
The defense attorney representing Baraka, Hassan and other members of the cell argues that the two were not involved in terrorism, but rather, were living with a smuggler who helped citizens of various African nations to illegally enter Israel.