WARNING: This is a high volume ping list
Posted on 03/07/2005 9:16:35 AM PST by Alouette
Police and the Shin Bet arrested an Israeli-Arab from the western Galilee three weeks ago on suspicion of planning to carry out an attack in the Knesset, details released for publication on Monday afternoon revealed.
The 20-year-old suspect, who was arrested at the Aksa Mosque in Jerusalem, also allegedly planned to carry out an attack against an IDF base and kidnap a soldier.
The man planned to apply for a job as a construction worker at the parliament building. He had already begun preparing explosives for the attack.
The case was subject to a court-imposed publicity ban that was only partially lifted by the Acre Magistrate's Court on Monday.
Police said that they expect charges to be pressed against the suspect within a week.
The court extended the suspect's remand Monday for a further week.
The Knesset has taken precautions in light of the arrest, although it was already on alert for the possibility of a strategic attack occurring at any time, Knesset Spokesman Giora Pordes said.
About 200 workers are employed in the construction of a new wing, including foreign workers and Israeli Arabs, he added. All workers are investigated before being hired, he noted.
According to Pordes, the suspect did not visit the Knesset premises, but had an "operative plan" for carrying out a bombing.
Security in the Knesset has been boosted significantly since the disengagement plan was brought for a vote last fall. A closed-circuit video monitoring system has been installed throughout the parking lot for MKs and Knesset staff, in addition to electronic gates that can control the movement of vehicles from one floor to the next.
About 1,000 to 1,500 visitors arrive at the building each day.
The Knesset is planning to spend NIS 1 million this year to reinforce the roof of the building out of concern that a terror group might launch an airborne attack against the building. According to the plan, an extra protective layer would be added. The ceiling of the Knesset plenum is directly under the roof.
MK Gila Gamliel (National Religious Party) said the arrest of the Israeli Arab shows that the "real threat" on state institutions was from Palestinians in Israel and the territories and not from the Right, as the security establishment has warned.
WARNING: This is a high volume ping list
I just finished listening to Gissin live for half an hour.
He represented the arab, muslim terrorist position very well.
Seriously. No sarcasm this time.
Ping!
WHATTT I got question is that usual for average Israeli Arab try go postal on Israel parliament Alouette?
you know its quite pathetic that its takes this to alarm the public about the fifth element in Israel.
the leftist media - I know its repetative - in Israel is not all all bothered about the 10-15 real arab terrorist sympatheziers who are in the very heart of the knesset - elected MKs!!!
the madness - imagine the idiocy of the left, letting these wolves in the parliment.
Jews.
we are a crazy people.
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