Israel Makes Arrests For Tel Aviv Bus Bombing

Israel has arrested several people, including an Arab Israeli, in connection with the Tel Avis bus bombing that wounded 27 people on Wednesday.

The arrests were made Wednesday, but details were only revealed Thursday because of a gag order, the Haaretz newspaper reported, citing security sources.

Here's more from the newspaper:

"According to the sources, operatives linked to Hamas and Islamic Jihad admitted in their interrogation to preparing the bomb used in the attack, as well as to choosing the target of the attack and purchasing the cell phone used to remotely detonate the device.

The Shin Bet said that most of those arrested were from the West Bank village of Beit Lakiya, adding that they recruited a resident of the Israeli Arab town of Taibeh, who originally resided in Beit Lakiya but was granted Israeli citizenship for in order to unite his family.

In order to allow his entrance into Tel Aviv, suspected cell members took a car belonging to the man's Israeli employer, which the Israeli citizen then used to enter the city and place the bomb."

Sources in Shin Bet, Israel's internal security organization, told the newspaper additional arrests were likely.
The bomb on the bus in central Tel Aviv wounded 27 people, and threatened to sabotage negotiations that ultimately led to a cease-fire agreement to end the fighting in Gaza.

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