The Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) thwarted a terror attack that had been planned by the student Hamas cell in Bir Zeit University, north of Ramallah, the Shin Bet said. The attack was directed by Hamas's base in Turkey.


Contacting Hamas in Turkey: According to the Shin Bet, the head of the cell, Mahmoud Anjas, from the West Bank, recruited activists from Katala, the term designating those partaking in Hamas cells in institutions of higher learning in the West Bank to form a military cell.

Anjas also used his connections with Baraa Romana, a Katala activist for the Abu Dis University, a resident of Ramallah, in order to receive from the Hamas base in Turkey funding to buy weapons for the attack.

During the examination, the Shin Bet added, the entirety of the cell was arrested. An M16 weapon was confiscated along with thousands of dollars, which had been received from Hamas in Turkey.