Palestinian youth carrying explosive belt arrested at Hawara crossing

IDF SPOKESPERSON ANNOUNCEMENT:

On the photo: A terrorist attack was thwarted when a Palestinian youth, around the age of 15, was arrested at the Hawara crossing, south of Nablus, in possession of a bag containing an explosive belt, an improvised rifle and 20 bullets.

In the afternoon hours of February 3, 2005, a Palestinian youth was identified acting suspiciously. An IDF officer asked the youth to open the bag he was carrying. When the contents of the bag were identified to be of a potentially explosive nature the people at the crossing were asked to clear the area and sappers were called to the scene. An explosive belt, an improvised rifle and 20 bullets found in the bag were detonated in a controlled manner by sappers. The youth was taken for questioning.

It should be emphasized that this thwarted attack is yet a further example of the fundamental importance and efficiency of the security crossings surrounding Nablus. It was thanks to the alertness of the soldiers at the crossing that a terrorist attack was thwarted.

On December 12, 2004, IDF and GSS forces at the Hawara crossing uncovered an explosive bag hidden in a cupboard, that was being transported in a furniture truck on its way to Jerusalem from Nablus.

Similarly on December 26, 2004, two youths were arrested at the same crossing, carrying two explosive devices in a bag. The devices comprised of both explosive material and shrapnel, and were intended for use in attacks against Israeli civilians and soldiers in the region. Both the devices were detonated in a controlled manner by sappers.