IDF indicts 3 Palestinian minors for alleged attempted gassing of bus, stabbing of soldier

Military makes announcement of indictment filed on May 4.

By YONAH JEREMY BOB
An IDF soldier subdues a Palestinian assailant after he was stabbed near a West Bank checkpoint (photo credit: IDF SPOKESMAN’S UNIT)
An IDF soldier subdues a Palestinian assailant after he was stabbed near a West Bank checkpoint
(photo credit: IDF SPOKESMAN’S UNIT)
The IDF announced on Sunday that its West Bank Prosecutor’s arm has filed an indictment with the Samaria Military Court against three Palestinians minors, all 17-years-old, for the attempted gassing of a bus and crimes related to the alleged stabbing of a soldier on April 2.
The three Palestinians initially planned to illegally cross the border into Israel and perpetrate a terrorist attack against a bus of civilians, said the IDF statement.
They allegedly acquired four knives, each of which was 20 centimeters long, two gas masks and Strychnine poison to try to gas passengers on a bus.
Further, they intended to stab the passengers while they were being gassed, and would then be “martyred” themselves, according to the statement.
All three participated in various preparatory and surveillance activities, but one of the three at the last moment, reneged on the terrorist attack, noted the statement, which led to him being charged merely for conspiracy to commit murder.
However, the other two continued on, said the statement, to the Oranit checkpoint and initially hid in nearby bushes to wait for an opportunity to attack.
Security forces noticed them, however, and called on them to halt and surrender, said the statement, which added that one of the Palestinians went for one of the nearby soldiers and attacked him with his knife, including stabbing him in his upper body, head and shoulder.
Eventually, the soldier overcame the youth, threw him to the ground and arrested him.
The second Palestinian was charged with attempted murder relating to the gassing plot, while the Palestinian who stabbed the soldier was charged with two counts of attempted murder, including both the gassing plot and the stabbing attack.