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Emblem of Palestinian Islamic Jihad
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| By israelinsider staff April 20, 2007 |
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New details emerged about a massive bombing that was averted two months ago when the explosive device failed to go off, YnetNews reported.
25-year-old Omar Ahmed Abu al-Rob traveled from Jenin to Tel Aviv via Jerusalem, exploiting gaps in the separation barrier. The whole time, he carried the explosive device in his backpack, with the batteries not yet connected. When he arrived in Tel Aviv, he connected the batteries to the explosive device, apparently incorrectly.
The would-be bomber took the detonator out of his backpack and got into another taxi, asking the driver to drive him to Jaffa. On the way, he spotted a bus stop and asked the driver to let him off. A "double-length" bus bound for the southern suburb of Rishon Letzion arrived at the stop, packed with passengers on their way to Rishon Lezion. He took a seat at the center of the bus, the best place to kill as many as possible.
The would-be bomber told investigators that as he mentally repeated Koran verses, he pressed the detonator. The bag failed to explode. He tried pressing the switch four more times. Despondent at his failure, he continued to Rishon Lezion, ditched the device in a dumpster and called a friend in nearby Bat Yam, then headed to his house. He tried to convince the friend to try to blow up a restaurant, but the police -- alerted to the terrorist on the loose -- captured him before a second attempt could be tried.
Abu al-Rob is a member of the Syrian-backed Palestinian Islamic Jihad, specifically of "a dangerous cell responsible for most of the serious suicide bombings that were carried out in the last two years," according to a security source quoted by YnetNews.
Islamic Jihad members in the Jenin refugee camp filmed al-Rob carrying an M-16 rifle and reading his will. During the filming, there was the sound of an aircraft, causing the terrorist to relocate to local hospital and complete the recording, YnetNews reported.
The police investigation revealed that Abu al-Rob had tried on previous occasions to attack IDF soldiers and Israeli citizens.
Israeli undercover forces killed Islamic Jihad commander Mahmoud Abu al-Jahimon Wednesday in Jenin, a day after Abu al-Rob was apprehended.
Another bombing targeting Tel Aviv, planned for the eve of Passover, was also thwarted by security forces.
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