Israeli security forces arrest Hamas terrorists involved in Jerusalem bus bombing

Israeli security forces arrested several Hamas terrorists suspected in involvement in Jerusalem’s bus bombing last week. At the same time, the security presence in public areas has been increased to help prevent Palestinian terror attacks during the Passover holiday.

By: JNS.org

Israeli security authorities have arrested “a number” of Hamas members on suspicion of involvement in Monday’s bombing of a bus in Jerusalem, in which 20 people were wounded, confirming that the Palestinian terror group was likely behind the attack as opposed to a lone-wolf terrorist.

“Through intensive intelligence and field activity, the Shin Bet (Israel’s Security Agency), the Israeli Police and the IDF arrested a number of suspects about a day after the attack on the Jerusalem bus—Hamas suspects from the Bethlehem area—who are suspected of being involved in planning the attack and executing it. Interrogation of the suspects is in progress and their identities are classified,” the Jerusalem Police said in a statement.

“It has been cleared for publication that the critically wounded man from the attack, who died at the Shaare Zedek hospital, is the terrorist who perpetrated the attack on the Egged line 12 bus. The terrorist, Abd al-Hamid Abu Srur, [who was] about 19 years old, [a] resident of Beit Jala, and affiliated with the Hamas movement, was, as stated, critically wounded during the perpetration of the attack and died of his wounds [on Wednesday] at the hospital. The attack wounded 20 civilians, one of them severely, seven moderately, and the others lightly,” the statement added.

Israeli security forces remain on high alert as Israel enters its spring holiday season, which includes Passover and its Independence Day.

Israel’s Yedioth Ahronoth reported that the Police raised the country’s security alert level to 3 and deployed thousands of police officers throughout the country in recreational spots and crowded areas. In Jerusalem, a prime location during the holiday, 3,500 police officers are patrolling the streets.

“These forces are patrolling in all public places, bus stations, shopping malls, tram stations,” said Israel Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld.

“The Jerusalem Police works to provide balance, in order to enable all three [monotheistic] faiths to exercise their freedom of worship with the guarantee of personal safety and security, and expects that public behavior during this period will be characterized by tolerance and mutual respect,” the police said in a statement, Israel National News reported.