The Jerusalem Post (www.jpost.com) reports that two Palestinians who were ready to murder unarmed Israeli civilians (including kids) in homicide/suicide operations were arrested yesterday by the IDF (Israel's army).

Two would-be Palestinian suicide bombers, the head of Islamic Jihad in Ramallah, and 30 Palestinians affiliated with Hamas, Tanzim, and Islamic Jihad were arrested by soldiers and border policemen operating inside Ramallah since early yesterday morning, the IDF reported.

Yesterday afternoon security forces also discovered two cars rigged with tens of kilograms of explosives ready to be used in a terrorist attack against Israeli targets. Inside the vehicles were found Israeli identity cards and Palestinian Authority documents.

Hamas and Islamic Jihad are two Palestinian terrorist groups whose only purpose is to destroy the State of Israel and create an Islamic Palestinian State instead. The Tanzim is one of Arafat's terrorist groups.

I copy the full article below.

Ramallah sweep yields would-be suicide bombers
By MARGOT DUDKEVITCH - June 11, 2002
http://www.jpost.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=JPost/A/JPArticle/Full&cid=1023716452931

Two would-be Palestinian suicide bombers, the head of Islamic Jihad in Ramallah, and 30 Palestinians affiliated with Hamas, Tanzim, and Islamic Jihad were arrested by soldiers and border policemen operating inside Ramallah since early yesterday morning, the IDF reported.
Yesterday afternoon security forces also discovered two cars rigged with tens of kilograms of explosives ready to be used in a terrorist attack against Israeli targets. Inside the vehicles were found Israeli identity cards and Palestinian Authority documents.

According to the IDF, the aim of the operation was to arrest Palestinians involved in terrorist activities, confiscate weapons, and destroy the terrorist infrastructure operating in the city. Israeli security officials said that, since the conclusion of Operation Defensive Shield, terrorists have resumed operations in Ramallah and were planning a number of terrorist attacks. They said the operation came in response to the failure of the PA to crack down on terrorists and destroy the infrastructure.

In exchanges of gunfire with Palestinian gunmen, two soldiers were lightly wounded. One Palestinian policeman was killed, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent.

Defense Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer said IDF activities in the city were based on solid intelligence information. "We have no intention of entering the Mukata building... It is possible that forces will continue operating in the city for another day or two," he said.

Described by the army as a restricted operation, security forces accompanied by tanks and armored personnel carriers entered the city from several different directions in the early morning hours. Forces imposed a curfew and troops surrounded PA Chairman Yasser Arafat's Mukata compound, but did not enter it.

Soldiers also surrounded the home of Tanzim activist Mahmoud Naifeh, but according to reports he succeeded in evading arrest. Soldiers also entered buildings in different parts of the city and set up strategic vantage points allowing them to monitor the situation.

According to Palestinian sources, soldiers took over a building near the Mukata used by a number of foreign news organizations including Jordan, Abu Dhabi, and Reuters and barred journalists from entering the building. Reuters lodged a complaint with the army, protesting that soldiers had taken over their fourth-floor office. According to Reuters, a cameraman was allowed to remove equipment from the office but other journalists were barred from entering.

"Reuters protests strongly that the building housing our office in Ramallah has been taken over by the army for the second time in recent months... We consider this a violation of press freedom," the Reuters statement said.

IDF Ramallah district commander Col. Ilan Paz said the troops had taken over the PA broadcasting center, from where foreign networks broadcast, but stressed that the army had no intention of disrupting broadcasts or maintaining tactical control over the area. Troops left the building toward nightfall, reportedly after the Foreign Ministry was flooded with complaints.
In addition, Palestinians claimed that troops also entered a Palestinian Police station in the center of the city and confiscated weapons and detained a number of security personnel for questioning. Ben-Eliezer, however, denied the allegations and said the IDF did not operate in the police station. The IDF also denied Palestinian allegations that security forces were operating inside the Mukata.

In other incidents yesterday, security forces arrested a number of Palestinian fugitives wanted by the Shin Bet for questioning and Palestinians suspected of terrorist activities. Troops arrested two in Beit Awa west of Hebron, one in Azun east of Kalkilya, six in Zaita north of Tulkarm, and two in Jiba'a in Samaria.

Meanwhile, one Palestinian was killed and 40 wounded, eight seriously, when bombs being prepared by terrorists exploded in a three-story building in the Jabalya refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip late Sunday night. Many of the wounded were women and children. The blast damaged a number of buildings nearby. Two weeks ago in the same area, two Palestinians died when a bomb they were preparing to use in a terrorist attack exploded prematurely, killing them.

Yesterday afternoon security forces stopped a Palestinian ambulance traveling on the main road between Gaza and Khan Yunis for a routine check and arrested a Palestinian fugitive inside pretending to be a patient.

Posted by David Melle
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