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 (Israel Security Agency) cleared for
publication on Monday.
During the shooting, the alleged gunman, Alaa
Muhammad Shukri Takatka, 23, opened fire on a bus leaving the settlement of
Migdal Oz, as well as at buildings in 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 security agency 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 Bethlehem, and include Fatah
members.
The cell includes the alleged gunman, the driver, Amad Ayad Omer
Takatka, 20, and lookouts Osama Muhammad Abed al-Rahman Takatka, 21, Nadal Ravhi
Taleb Takatka, 34, Muhammad Ziad Muhammed Takatka, 22, and Muhammad 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 13 they were indicted by a
military court on charges including attempted first degree murder and membership
in a banned organization.
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