Israeli security forces have uncovered two terrorist cells operated by the Islamic Jihad, one in the West Bank and the other in the Gaza Strip.
Security forces on Tuesday announced the discovery of a cell in the Hebron area, which was allegedly involved in attacks on Israelis troops and vehicles there. Security forces reportedly seized a large arsenal of arms and explosives held by cell members.
The discovery of the terrorist unit was reported a day after gasoline bombs were thrown near the Jewish quarter of Hebron. No one was hurt in the attack.
In Gaza, the Shin Bet internal security service uncovered one of the largest cells of the Islamic Jihad ever exposed. Some 20 suspects were arrested in connection with the planting of explosives in the Gaza Strip and Israel proper.
Two members of the cell reportedly were criminals who had been scheduled to be executed by Moslem fundamentalist “shock committees.”
They reportedly were pardoned after they committed themselves to carrying out sabotage activities in Israel, but one of them was murdered anyway, even after he had planted two charges in Israel.
Members of the Gaza cell are charged with having planted explosives in Tel Aviv, Ra’anana, Herzliya and Petach Tikva since May 1988. All the bombs exploded, but no one was hurt.
Last month, the security service found terrorist cells belonging to Al Fatah, the wing of the Palestine Liberation Organization controlled by Yasir Arafat.
In other security developments, a Jerusalem court on Monday imposed a stiff sentence on a Jewish youth convicted of throwing rocks at Arab vehicles in the early August riots that followed the brutal murder of two Jerusalem teen-agers.
Three Arabs were sightly hurt in the stoning. Two other Arabs died in separate incidents during the riots.
Jerusalem District Court Judge Ruth Or sentenced the 16-year-old youth to 10 months in jail, with an additional 12 months suspended.
Proceedings are still pending against Rachel Kahalon, a 22-year-old mother also charged with throwing stones at Arab vehicles in an incident that resulted in the death of Izzat Halahla, 42, a resident of Silwan village.
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