Plot to Attack Al-Aqsa Mosque Foiled; East Jerusalem Youth Arrested
Translated & summarized from i24NEWS Arabic by baba
Israeli forces have thwarted a major attack planned for the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, arresting a 19-year-old from East Jerusalem. The suspect confessed to planning a bombing at the Lions' Gate followed by a shooting inside the mosque. He was motivated by content related to the October 7th attacks and viewed his plan as a religious duty. The arrest followed a joint investigation by police and the Shin Bet.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- A 19-year-old from East Jerusalem was arrested for planning a major attack at the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
- The suspect planned a bombing at the Lions' Gate followed by a shooting inside the mosque.
- He was motivated by content related to the October 7th attacks and saw his plan as a religious duty.
- The plot was revealed by Lee Ayash, head of criminal news at Channel 12.
- The arrest resulted from a joint investigation by Israeli police and the Shin Bet.
- The suspect scouted security, researched explosives, and trained in martial arts for the attack.
Israeli authorities have foiled a significant attack planned for the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, according to information revealed on Wednesday evening by Lee Ayash, head of the criminal news department at Channel 12. The suspect is a 19-year-old from East Jerusalem, identified as residing in Beit Hanina. He reportedly decided to carry out the attack after viewing content related to the October 7th events, viewing it as a "religious duty."
The plan involved a two-pronged assault, targeting both the Lions' Gate (Bab al-Asbat) and the Al-Aqsa Mosque courtyard. Details emerged from a joint investigation by the Israeli police and the Shin Bet security agency. The suspect confessed to planning to place a bag containing an explosive device at the Lions' Gate. Following the explosion, he intended to enter the Al-Aqsa courtyards and open fire on civilians and police officers, aiming to kill as many people as possible before escaping.
In preparation, the suspect reportedly scouted surveillance cameras and troop deployments weekly while heading to Friday prayers. He also downloaded instructions for making explosives and searched the dark web for weapons dealers. In the two months prior to his arrest in September, he trained in martial arts at a club in Al-Issawiya, intending to fight unarmed if his primary plan failed.
Testimonies from associates corroborated the suspect's intentions. One individual reported the suspect expressing a desire to die as a martyr and a need for explosive belts. Another acquaintance stated the suspect had asked him to help manufacture explosives. These statements were made during the investigation.
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