A group of six men from the West Bank village of Beit Fajar were indicted in a
military court earlier this month for their role in a shooting attack in Gush
Etzion last November, the Shin Bet General Security Services cleared for
publication on Monday.
During the shooting, the alleged gunman, Alaa
Muhammed Shukri Takatka, 23, opened fire on a bus leaving the settlement of
Migdal Oz, as well as at buildings at the settlement and Israeli security forces
nearby, the Shin Bet said in a press release on Monday. No one was hurt in the
shooting, but the Shin Bet said that there was some damage caused to the
bus.
The Shin Bet said the group was also planning other attacks before
they were caught.
The six suspects are all members of the same clan from
the village of Beit Fajar outside Beit Lehem, and include members of Tanzim and
Fatah.
The cell includes the alleged gunman Alaa Muhammed Shukri Takatka,
23, the driver Amad Ayad Omer Takatka, 20, and lookouts Osama Muhammed Abed
al-Rahman Takatka, 21, Nadal Ravhi Taleb Takatka, 34, Muhammed Ziad Muhammed
Takatka, 22, and Muhammed Yosef Ahmad Takatka, 21, who was also employed as part
of the Palestinian Authority's presidential guard.
The men were arrested
shortly after the shooting attempt, in a joint operation involving the Shin Bet,
the IDF, and police from the Judea and Samaria sub-district. On January 13th
they were indicted by a military court, on charges including attempted first
degree murder and membership in a banned organization.
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