The Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) on Thursday said it busted a terrorist cell of seven Arab Israelis and four Palestinians from the West Bank who had plotted to kill National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.
The terrorist cell was also targeting Ben-Gurion Airport and government offices, it said in a statement.
The cell planned to attack Ben-Gvir in Kiryat Arba using rocket-propelled grenades and other weapons, the Shin Bet said. It also planned to kidnap soldiers, it said.
In east Jerusalem on Thursday, the Shin Bet and the Israel Police thwarted separate terrorist attacks planned by supporters of the terrorist group Islamic State (ISIS). The terrorists planned to build and detonate explosive devices and carry out shooting attacks against a police station in east Jerusalem and another near Teddy Stadium, the Shin Bet said.
Who were the terrorists?
Two terrorists were recruited by another terrorist who was trained abroad by other ISIS members, specializing in training and promoting terrorist activities within Israel, it said. Before their arrest, they began preparing the explosives and plans for the shooting attacks. Due to the failure of the explosives, the two planned instead to carry out a shooting attack, it added.
Over the past month, the Shin Bet and the Israel Police have been conducting investigations against this terrorist cell, suspecting it of intent to carry out attacks against Israelis. The alleged attacks included planting explosives and firing live ammunition under the banner of affiliation with the Islamic State, the Shin Bet said.
Previously, detectives arrested three terrorists for similar claims of Islamic State affiliation, all of whom were residents of east Jerusalem. The investigation of these individuals revealed that they had sworn allegiance to ISIS and planned to carry out several attacks in Jerusalem, the Shin Bet said.