Israel foils Palestinian attack on hall
Israeli security forces have arrested a Palestinian from the Gaza Strip suspected of planning "a multiple-casualty attack" on a function hall, authorities said yesterday.
The Shin Bet domestic security agency said Mahmud Abu Taha had sought to cross into Israel in the guise of a businessman, acting under instructions from the Islamic Jihad in Gaza.
"Abu Taha headed a terror cell directed by Islamic Jihad in the Gaza Strip which planned to carry out a multiple-casualty attack on a function hall in the south," Shin Bet said, without specifying the location of the hall.
He had planned to link up with three other Gazans already in Israel and launch the attack on the hall where one of the men worked, it said in a statement.
"At the same time, Mahmud began to plan to abduct and murder an Israel Defence Forces soldier for bargaining purposes," said Shin Bet.
Islamic Jihad had given him "thousands of shekels" to rent an apartment where the soldier was to be taken and killed, with the body also concealed and used in subsequent negotiations with Israel, said the agency.
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