Outgoing Israel Police Chief Shlomo Aharonishki told President Moshe Katsav yesterday that a terrorist attack is foiled "almost daily," impressing upon the president the ongoing efforts to perpetrate attacks and the success of the counter-terrorism work of Israeli security services. Several such successes were recorded in recent days.
Late Thursday, it was released for publication that on Wednesday afternoon, security forces apprehended a suicide bomber who planned to blow himself up in the populous Sharon region, north of Tel Aviv. Intelligence about the planned attack led to high-level alerts Wednesday afternoon, resulting in the closure of some cities and Sharon-area roads. The bomber and an accomplice were apprehended in the village of Mas'ha, near Elkana, ten miles east of his target region. Thursday, the captured terrorists were to receive the bomb belt intended for use in the attack, which was being smuggled into Green Line Israel in a furniture truck. However, the truck carrying the explosives blew up Wednesday night at 11:00pm. Security officials say they are uncertain if the bomb was blown up intentionally, perhaps with the terrorists learning of the apprehension of their colleagues, or if it detonated due to a technical mishap.
Another terror alert, this time in the Jerusalem area, was called off last night when IDF forces killed a senior Hamas terrorist in Hevron. Malik Nasser A-Din had barricaded himself inside a home in the Hawazh neighborhood of the city when IDF forces came for him. A shootout ensued between the soldiers and the terrorist, during which A-Din was killed.
Yet another Arab terrorist, apparently on his way to perpetrate an attack against an Israeli target, was apprehended at Gush Katif Junction, in the Gaza area, by an undercover border police unit.
In addition, IDF soldiers operating in Judea and Samaria during the night arrested four terrorism suspects. Arrests, including that of a PFLP member, were made in Ramallah and the surrounding area, as well as in Wadi Tufah, west of Hevron. Such arrests play a major role in Israel's counter-terrorism efforts, as they often produce intelligence information leading to the apprehension of terrorists planning attacks, as was the case this week.
On other fronts in the ongoing war with Arab forces, two soldiers were very lightly injured Thursday by shrapnel from enemy gunfire in northern Gaza. Arab gunmen also opened fire on soldiers in Kabatia, west of Jenin, during the night, as well as near PA-controlled Shechem. No injuries were reported in the latter attacks. In southern Gaza, IDF troops discovered a bomb and an AK-47 assault rifle on the Philadelphi Route bordering Egypt; the bomb was detonated without incident.
Terrorist forces continued shelling Jewish towns, as well. On Thursday, a Kassam rocket landed in the western Negev near Kibbutz Zikim, between Ashkelon and Yad Mordechai. A second Kassam rocket landed in a open field in southern pre-1967 Green Line Israel, near Kibbutz Nir Oz. Arab attackers also fired a mortar shell at Alei Sinai, in the Gaza area. There were no injuries in any of the bombardments.
Late Thursday, it was released for publication that on Wednesday afternoon, security forces apprehended a suicide bomber who planned to blow himself up in the populous Sharon region, north of Tel Aviv. Intelligence about the planned attack led to high-level alerts Wednesday afternoon, resulting in the closure of some cities and Sharon-area roads. The bomber and an accomplice were apprehended in the village of Mas'ha, near Elkana, ten miles east of his target region. Thursday, the captured terrorists were to receive the bomb belt intended for use in the attack, which was being smuggled into Green Line Israel in a furniture truck. However, the truck carrying the explosives blew up Wednesday night at 11:00pm. Security officials say they are uncertain if the bomb was blown up intentionally, perhaps with the terrorists learning of the apprehension of their colleagues, or if it detonated due to a technical mishap.
Another terror alert, this time in the Jerusalem area, was called off last night when IDF forces killed a senior Hamas terrorist in Hevron. Malik Nasser A-Din had barricaded himself inside a home in the Hawazh neighborhood of the city when IDF forces came for him. A shootout ensued between the soldiers and the terrorist, during which A-Din was killed.
Yet another Arab terrorist, apparently on his way to perpetrate an attack against an Israeli target, was apprehended at Gush Katif Junction, in the Gaza area, by an undercover border police unit.
In addition, IDF soldiers operating in Judea and Samaria during the night arrested four terrorism suspects. Arrests, including that of a PFLP member, were made in Ramallah and the surrounding area, as well as in Wadi Tufah, west of Hevron. Such arrests play a major role in Israel's counter-terrorism efforts, as they often produce intelligence information leading to the apprehension of terrorists planning attacks, as was the case this week.
On other fronts in the ongoing war with Arab forces, two soldiers were very lightly injured Thursday by shrapnel from enemy gunfire in northern Gaza. Arab gunmen also opened fire on soldiers in Kabatia, west of Jenin, during the night, as well as near PA-controlled Shechem. No injuries were reported in the latter attacks. In southern Gaza, IDF troops discovered a bomb and an AK-47 assault rifle on the Philadelphi Route bordering Egypt; the bomb was detonated without incident.
Terrorist forces continued shelling Jewish towns, as well. On Thursday, a Kassam rocket landed in the western Negev near Kibbutz Zikim, between Ashkelon and Yad Mordechai. A second Kassam rocket landed in a open field in southern pre-1967 Green Line Israel, near Kibbutz Nir Oz. Arab attackers also fired a mortar shell at Alei Sinai, in the Gaza area. There were no injuries in any of the bombardments.