Joseph's tomb attack foiled as authorities raid suspected terror cell
A Palestinian terror cell planning to attack worshippers at one of the famous Jewish holy sites has been thwarted by authorities on Tuesday.
According to the Times of Israel, four Palestinians have been arrested by Israeli officials as the four were believed to have been planning to bomb and shoot Jewish worshippers who graced Joseph's Tomb in the West Bank City of Nablus.
A Shin Bet statement said the cell was protected by armed men and controlled by the Gaza-based Islamic Jihad group, with their handler being Mohammed Darwish, a senior Islamic Jihad member who was also the same perpetrator from the Gaza Strip. The locals were reportedly amazed at the professional level displayed by the organization.
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The four suspects were named Nassim Damiri, 30, hailing from Tulkarem and has been imprisoned several times in the past, also identifying himself with Fatah; Mahmed Damiri, 23, also from Tulkarem and a Palestinian police officer; Yasser Tzarawi, 25, from Rafidia, a constant jail visitor who is also a Hamas member; and Adwan Nazel, 24, an Islamic Jihad man from Qabatiya.
Upon interrogation, the four spilled detailed accounts of their individual assignments from scouting the site for specific areas where they can plant bombs, to receiving weapons and arranging a hideout for the group to stay in before the planned attack.
The tomb is believed to have been the site where the children of Israel buried the bones of Biblical patriarch, Joseph, the most favored son of Jacob, whom God endowed with the promised seed.
According to the Christian Broadcasting Network, Joseph's Tomb has become a place of pilgrimage as it is one such location that exemplifies the Israeli Jews' faith.
However, the location has also become the apple of the eye of extremist groups and bandits as the site is always visited by tourists and worshippers.
Many visitors coordinate with the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) in advance for their pilgrimages, while a good number of stubborn tourists insist on coming over at their own risks.
