Israeli occupation authorities announced the arrest of a Hamas-linked cell in Jerusalem that was planning to carry out attacks against Israel.
Israel’s internal security agency, Shin Bet, said that three Palestinians, who were said to be part of a Hamas terror cell in east Jerusalem's Sur Baher neighborhood, near the East Talpiot neighborhood, have been arrested.
Security forces' investigation found that the detainees were in contact with Hamas operatives expelled to the Gaza Strip as part of the prisoner swap deal securing the release of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit in 2011.
According to indictments from Jerusalem District Court, the three defendants were accused of contact with a foreign agent, membership in a terror group and conspiracy to commit terrorism.
The defendants are Nasim Hamada, 39, who was the group's leader and chief recruiter, Ezzedine Aton, 24, and Obeida Amira, 29. The identity of another person involved with the group has been withheld.
Hamada was recruited to plan and carry out shooting attacks, prompting him to recruit Aton and the unnamed accomplice.
The three then conspired to recruit another Hamas operative to the group, and they attempted to purchase arms to carry out attacks against soldiers.
The indictment added they held observations near the Seam Zone settlement of Oranit, where they planned to shoot at soldiers standing at a nearby bus stop.
The Shin Bet's investigation discovered that two of the group's members—Aton and Amira—visited in Turkey last year two Hamas operatives released as part of the Shalit deal. During the visit, Aton received thousands of dollars from Hamas.
This is not the first cell that Israel has arrested in the West Bank and accused of trying to carry out operations following orders from factions in the Gaza Strip.
In February, Shin Bet uncovered a plan by the Islamic Jihad to assassinate Israeli Minister of Defense Avigdor Lieberman.
The Shin Bet said the cell planned to assassinate Lieberman by a roadside bomb in the West Bank as he was returning to his home in the settlement of Nokdim near Bethlehem.
According to Israeli statistics, last year saw the arrest of more than 100 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem, who planned to carry out such operations under the guidance of Hamas.
