In a recent operation, the Jerusalem District Police and the Shin Bet intelligence agency successfully thwarted a planned combined attack targeting security forces and uncovered an explosives laboratory concealed within an apartment located in the Shuafat refugee camp. The two terrorists involved in this plot were apprehended and are currently undergoing questioning at the Jerusalem District Court, with their detention extended by the Shin Bet. Following the conclusion of the ongoing investigation by the police and the Shin Bet, formal charges are expected to be filed against the suspects in the coming days.

Declassified information, now cleared for publication, reveals that detectives from the Jerusalem District Police, in collaboration with undercover Border Patrol agents, apprehended two individuals in their twenties, both residents of Shuafat. This operation was conducted under the guidance and direction of the Shin Bet, based on suspicions that the individuals were planning to carry out a coordinated attack after establishing contact with a terrorist organization.

הותר לפרסום: המשטרה עצרה לפני כשלשה שבועות 2 תושבי שועפט שהקימו מעבדת נפץ ותכננו לבצע פיגוע. pic.twitter.com/9XTVvT8XEJ

— 🟢or keren (@Wq0oQJmUSfZunt5) November 2, 2023

The investigation has uncovered that the two terrorists had established communication with operatives from a terrorist organization operating within the territories of Israel. With the assistance of these operatives, they devised a plan to execute a combined attack involving gunfire, withdrawal of security forces, and the detonation of explosive charges within an apartment situated in Shuafat. To execute their plan, the terrorists intended to acquire firearms and had already procured various materials and components necessary for the preparation of explosive devices within the apartment they occupied.

Approximately three weeks ago, a joint operation involving detectives from the Jerusalem District Police, the Jerusalem District Saboteurs, soldiers from the Jerusalem Border Police, and Shin Bet personnel culminated in a raid on the apartment located in the Shuafat neighborhood. During the search of the apartment, the security forces discovered a cache of evidence, including various chemical substances, containers, operational instructions for constructing explosive charges, and assorted components believed to be intended for use in the imminent combined attack.

The detention of the arrested terrorists has been extended through court orders as the investigation progresses. Most recently, a prosecutor's statement was submitted against them, resulting in another extension of their detention until November 5. In the upcoming days, the Jerusalem District Attorney's Office is expected to formally file charges against the suspects.

These developments follow closely on the heels of a large-scale demonstration held by hundreds of residents in the Pisgat Ze'ev neighborhood, expressing their concerns about the security situation in their vicinity. They reported a significant escalation in recurring incidents of violence and harassment originating from the nearby Shuafat refugee camp since the onset of recent hostilities.

לתושבי פסגת זאב נמאס לשתוק לפרעות של המחבלים במחנה פליטים שועפט והחליטו להפתיע את תושביי שועפט. pic.twitter.com/oHHAA2zcRO

— ידידיה אפשטיין (@yedidya_epstien) October 24, 2023

Protestors gathered near the separation barrier separating Pisgat Ze'ev from the Shuafat refugee camp, highlighting the deteriorating situation. While there have been previous instances of bullying and security-related incidents emanating from the refugee camp, residents have noticed a recent surge in both the frequency and intensity of these disturbances, prompting growing unease among the local populace.