Terrorist Who Planned Malcha Mall Attack Indicted

Security officials announced Thursday that they had arrested an Arab terrorist who had planned to carry out a terror attack at the Malcha Mall in Yerushalayim. Abed al-Mu’ati Abi Sniena, a resident of an Arab neighborhood of Yerushalayim, had conspired with a terrorist from Ramallah, whom he had met in prison, to carry out the attack at the mall.

The two agreed to carry out the attack when Abu Sneina was released from prison. The attack was to take place on a Thursday evening, when the two believed that the mall would be full of soldiers who had gone on weekend leave. The arrest took place some two months ago, and the incident was only announced Thursday as officials filed an indictment against the terrorist.

Also on Thursday security forces announced they had arrested a gang of 12 Arab terrorists who had attacked Israeli drivers along Road 443, the Modiin-Yerushalayim highway. The group attempted to damage cars and disable them, and several times attempted to force drivers to enter their village in order to attack them and possibly kidnap them. Several of the suspects are minors.

The group was carrying out the attack to avenge the death of the terrorist Ibrahim Al’an, who murdered Shlomit Krigman, Hy”d, of Beit Horon earlier this year, officials said.