Ha'aretz - Tel Aviv - 10/02/98
As six Taibeh Arabs are arrested in Ramallah blast
By Amos Harel and Nicole Krau, Ha'aretz Correspondents
Hamas is planning a massive terrorist attack within the Green Line to avenge the killing of two members of its military wing,
according to warnings received by the Israeli security establishment.
Defense sources believe that Hamas will not settle for shooting settlers or soldiers in the occupied territories, but will rather try to
hurt civilians on Israeli territory.
The terror attack in Hebron on Wednesday, in which 13 IDF soldiers and border policemen were wounded, as well as other shooting
incidents in the Hebron area in recent weeks, suggest that Hamas has faced temporary difficulties in carrying out plans for attacks
within the Green Line, according to military sources.
But with the discovery of a bomb laboratory in Hebron and the explosion of a car belonging to Hamas activists near Ramallah last
week, the sources say it has become clear that preparations for a larger terrorist attack are underway. It is believed that the men
killed in the Ramallah blast probably intended to place a car bomb in Jerusalem.
Recent successes by the Israeli and Palestinian security forces, including the discovery of the laboratory in Hebron, could delay the
Hamas plan. (See story page 2.)
Meanwhile, six Arabs from the Israeli village of Taibeh were arrested on suspicion of involvement in the Ramallah car explosion. Four
were arrested by the Palestinian Authority and two were arrested by the Sharon regional police and were transfered to the custody
of the Shin Bet security service. The police refused to reveal details of the investigation.
The explosion, which occurred at 1:30 P.M. on Tuesday, killed Zahran Ibrahim Zahran, 35, and injured two brothers - Salim Abu Eid,
33, and Suleiman Abu Eid, 27.
According to the Abu Eid brothers, the explosion occured shortly after the three, who are known Hamas members, bought weapons
and a case of explosives from an Israeli citizen from Taibeh.
Palestinian sources suggested that the weapons dealer, Abdel-Kader Fahd, known as Abu Fahd, worked for the Shin Bet and was
responsible for the explosion.
The two Taibeh residents arrested yesterday were suspected of having connections to Hamas, and they appear to have been the
ones who sold Abu Fahd the weapons that he then sold to Zahran and the Abu Eid brothers.
One of the four arrested by the Palestinian Authority is Fahd, the son of Abu Fahd, according to Palestinian sources who asked to
remain anonymous.
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