The Jenin battalion of the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization on Wednesday threatened terrorist attacks in response to the arrest of the organization's leader in the Samaria region, Bassam al-Saadi.
"The Zionist occupation forces committed a heinous crime when they stormed the camp of our heroes and raided the home of Sheikh Bassam al-Saadi and attacked him and his respected family in a manner that reflects the malicious face of this occupation," the Jenin battalion statement said.
The Jenin battalion pledged to carry out a retaliatory action against Israel. "We in the Jenin battalion, in view of this criminal attack on the honorable Sheikh Bassam al-Saadi, one of the symbols of our Palestinian people, will not stand idly by."
"Our victorious battalions said these things the day before yesterday (during the arrest) and at the moment of the assault, and we will not let the event go unnoticed," stated the Jenin battalion. "We hold the criminal occupation fully responsible for the life of our esteemed Sheikh, and the criminal occupation bears full responsibility for all the consequences of this cowardly action."
Looking to the near future, the statement said, "The Jenin battalion was and still is committed to confronting the occupation forces in all arenas, and our response will be the size of the crime (committed). This is for victory in Jihad or martyrdom."
The threat issued by the Jenin battalion comes at the same time as the Islamic Jihad's threats in the Gaza Strip to respond militarily to the arrest of Bassam al-Saadi, following which emergency measures were taken in the Gaza envelope area, including the closing of roads leading to the border area and stopping the operation of trains in the area.