A 21-year-old Palestinian who was recruited by his brother to perpetrate a suicide bombing near soldiers at the Hawara roadblock near Nablus was arrested in the West Bank city on July 27, according to information released by the Shin Bet on Monday. Khaled Shashtari, a member of the Fatah Tanzim, confessed to investigators that he headed to the roadblock wearing an explosives belt, but was deterred by the large presence of IDF forces in the area due to terror warnings and opted to return home. Shashtari said his brother Ahmed Basel Salman Shashtari, 20, recruited him to perpetrate the attack.
| That's 'cuz Mom always liked him best... |
The latter was arrested by security forces on July 28 after relatives informed authorities. The same Tanzim infrastructure attempted to dispatch another suicide bomber last month who was to have blown up in the Sharon region. However, the attack was thwarted when the potential suicide bomber, Ahmed Ali Muhammad Buskar, 17, and Fawaz Abdullah Malwani, 24, his handler, were arrested by security forces on July 14 in Mas'ha. Hours after they were arrested the explosives belt blew up prematurely in a truck on its way to the village.
| Bet that gave 'em a thrill... |
The same infrastructure is also behind attempts to dispatch the two fourteen-year-old boys armed with explosives belts in March who were arrested at the Hawara checkpoint and in June recruited a 15-year-old girl in Nablus to carry out a suicide bomb attack. She was also arrested before acting. Security officials said the Tanzim infrastructure in Nablus continues to receive funds and instructions from Hizbullah operatives in Lebanon. |