ISA Foils Plot to Attack Defense Minister Lieberman

The Israel Security Agency revealed on Sunday that it uncovered and foiled a plot by an Islamic Jihad terrorist cell operating in the West Bank to assassinate Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman

ISA Foils Plot to Attack Defense Minister Lieberman

Israel's Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman (Photo: Ariel Schalit, AP)

A plot to assassinate Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman was thwarted by the Israel Security Agency (ISA), it was cleared for publication Sunday morning.

According to a statement released by the agency, an Islamic Jihad terror cell was planning to place a bomb on a West Bank road on which Lieberman's convoy was to travel.

During the course of the investigations by the ISA, it became clear that the cell members had tried to purchase explosives and even contacted terror organizations in the Gaza Strip in order to receive funding for the attack. When they failed to purchase the explosive material for the bomb, they decided to make a "dummy" bomb in order to receive funding to carry out additional attacks as well as earn recognition for their work. The fake explosive device was handed over during their arrest.

According to the ISA, this is not the first time that a terror cell has been arrested after planning an attack on the Defense Minister. In 2014, a Hamas cell which had purchased RPGs in order to hit the vehicle in which Lieberman traveled was arrested.

Interrogation of members of the cell revealed that they had known of previous attempts to attack the Minister, but thought they would succeed where others failed. Members of the terror cells who were arrested will be indicted on Sunday in the military court in Judea.

In addition to the cell which planned to assassinate the defense minister, another terror cell operating in the Bethlehem area and planning to carry out a shooting attack was also broken up in joint operation conducted by the ISA, the IDF and the Israel Police.

 

[Sources: The Jerusalem Post, Arutz Sheva]

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