Israel Indicts 2 Palestinians in Al Qaeda Bombing Plot
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JERUSALEM — Israel indicted two West Bank Palestinians on Tuesday on charges of belonging to Al Qaeda and plotting to carry out a double bombing in Jerusalem for the terrorist network.
The Palestinians, from the Balata refugee camp near Nablus, met with Al Qaeda operatives in Jordan, arranged for secret e-mail communication, opened a bank account and received $4,240 in Jordanian currency from Al Qaeda to carry out the attack, according to the indictment.
The military court indictment comes after Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli security officials, including Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz, said Al Qaeda was trying to recruit Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
The indictment details allegations about how the Palestinians met the terrorist network’s operatives and how the network recruited and financed them.
Azzam abu Aladas and Balal Hafnai, both 19, were arrested by Israeli security forces in December while crossing from Jordan into Israel, according to the indictment. That was after what would have been the date for the planned Jerusalem attack, and the military could not immediately explain the contradiction.
The two visited Jordan at least three times to meet their Al Qaeda handlers, named Abdullah and Abu Talha, the indictment said.
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