JERUSALEM, June 3 (Xinhua) -- Israel's Shin Bet security service said Tuesday that security forces have arrested a Palestinian from the West Bank city of Ramallah who planned kidnapping and shooting attacks against Israelis under the instructions of a Hamas militant.
The Palestinian was named as 26-year-old Bahar Sa'ad. He was detained last month amidst preparations to launch the attacks, The Jerusalem Post quoted a Shin Bet statement as saying.
The agency said his interrogation revealed that he was guided by Hashem Ibrahim Hajaz, a Hamas operative who was sentenced to life sentences for his involvement in the killing of a number of Israelis between 2001 and 2003, according to the statement.
Hajaz, currently resides in Qatar, was released as part of a landmark deal between Israel and Hamas in late 2011, in which Israeli soldier Gilad Schalit was freed after five years of captivity in the Gaza Strip in exchange for the release of upwards of 1,000 Palestinians security inmates, who were deported to the West Bank, Gaza and elsewhere.
The Shin Bet said Hajaz recruited Sa'ad to Hamas while meeting him in Jordan, and instructed him to carry out attacks against Israeli settlers and security personnel, according to the statement.
"He was also instructed to recruit additional members, and agreed to travel to Sudan to undergo military training... He was due to receive weapons from an unknown courier acting on behalf of Hajaz," the Shin Bet said.
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