November 14, 2002
Israeli Arab Minor Arrested For Planning Suicide Attack

The Israel Security Agency (ISA) and the Israel Police have detained for questioning an Israeli Arab minor, a resident of Taibeh, who turned himself in to the security forces; he is suspected of planning to perpetrate a suicide attack inside Israel.

In August 2002, the youth visited Kalkilya and expessed his interest in perpetrating a suicide attack to Muhammad Masad. Masad put him in contact with leading Fatah operative Ahmed Aladva. The youth said that he wished to avenge the death of the terrorist who perpetrated the February 16, 2002 suicide bombing in Karnei Shomron in which 15-year-old Nehemia Amar (http://www.mfa.gov.il/mfa/go.asp?MFAH0l6m0) and 15-year-old Keren Shatsky (http://www.mfa.gov.il/mfa/go.asp?MFAH0l6n0) were murdered. The two told him that he would carry out a suicide attack in the name of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades.

The youth resisted attempts by his friends to dissuade him and returned to Kalkilya where he met with Masad and Aladva in the Palestinian Authority Special Forces offices in the city. A third Fatah operative explained to the youth that if he died a martyr's death, he would feel no pain during the attack, his body would not decompose in its grave and that he would be met in Heaven by other martyrs and virgins.

The youth resisted suggestions to perpetrate an attack in Samaria and insisted on carrying out attack inside Israel. The recent IDF incursion into Kalkilya upset the cell's plans and Masad informed the youth that the attack would have to be postponed.

The youth turned himself in to the security forces a few days ago and said afterwards that he feared that his intentions were too well known and that he would be arrested in any case.