The alertness of an off-duty civil defense guard prevented what could have been a serious terrorist atrocity in Netanya. The incident happened about 10 days ago but was only revealed last night after police rounded up other members of a terrorist gang in the Nablus area.
Police said the off-duty guard became suspicious when he saw two West Bank youths carrying a heavy valise. He alerted another civil defense guard who was on duty and they stopped the youths. Police sappers were called and they found a large improvised bomb inside the valise. The two youths told police they had intended to place the bomb on the Netanya beach which was crowded with thousands of bathers, mostly women and children. Police investigation led to the arrest of three more West Bank youths. The five youths, who made up an El Fatah cell in Samaria, are also suspected of having placed a bomb on a bus in Kfar Saba about a year ago.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
