13:04 IL: Just cleared for publication: Three Israeli Arabs were arrested as part of a terror cell connected to the January 24, 2008 attack at the Shuafat Checkpoint and the murder of policeman Rami Zuadi HY”D. His partner was seriously wounded in the attack.

In addition, the suspects in the cell are connected to July 11, 2008 attack near the Old City in which border policeman David Shriki was murdered and his partner moderately wounded.

The investigation was a joint venture between Israel Police and the ISA (Israel Security Agency – Shin Bet). Three members of the terror cell are Israeli Arab citizens, residents of the eastern capital.

Authorities report the cell planned additional attacks in Yerushalayim and elsewhere, some planned for the end of this August. The planned attacks included the assassination of a senior officer assigned to the Jerusalem police; a shooting attack in the French Hill neighborhood;  a shooting attack against a police vehicle on the road to the Dead Sea; and attacking soldiers in the Admat Yishai (Tel Rumeida) area of Chevron.

The cell leader is identified as Mahmoud Abu Seninah, 21, from the Anata area of the eastern capital. He built the cell while attending studies in Abu Dis. He began enlisting members in the cell about 18 months ago.

His dad, Idnan Abu Seninah, was sentenced to life in prison for the murders of two IDF soldiers in the 1970s. He was released in the 1985 Jibril prisoner release deal. Two other Shuafat residents were also indicted along with the other cell members. (Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)