IDF soldiers at the Hawara checkpoint on Monday, 15 March
2004, foiled a planned suicide attack when they detained a
Palestinian boy around 11-years-old, who worked in the area
as a porter. The boy was carrying bags that aroused the
suspicions of the soldiers. The soldiers had been warned by
the ISA (security services) that a suicide attack was
planned.
Two Tanzim terrorists based in Nablus exploited the boy's
innocent appearance and used him, without his knowledge, to
attempt to pass explosive devices through the checkpoint. A
sapper who arrived at the scene safely detonated one of the
devices in a controlled explosion; it contained explosive
material and shrapnel as is common in Palestinian bombs, in
violation of international law.
Authorities believe that the terrorists planned to detonate
the devices using a cellular phone as the boy passed through
the checkpoint, in order to murder soldiers. The Fatah Tanzim
activists in Nablus tried to detonate the bomb when soldiers
stopped the boy. After interrogating him, they were convinced
that the boy was not aware of the plans.
The foiled attack underscores how terrorist organizations
exploit Palestinian children and young people who can easily
enter crowded sites without arousing suspicion. Sending bombs
using children and women and others who arouse natural
sympathy severely harms innocent Palestinian residents who
have to pass through checkpoints all the time and at the same
time underscores the importance of security checks at the
checkpoints.
Since the start of the current round of Palestinian violence,
29 suicide attacks have been perpetrated by minors. Since May
2001, 22 shootings and bombings were perpetrated by minors.
Since January 2001, more than 40 Palestinian minors have been
arrested for involvement in attempts to perpetrate suicide
attacks that were foiled.
The Fatah men gave the boy a bag containing a seven-to-10
kilogram bomb packed with bolts. They promised him a large
sum of money if he would carry it through the roadblock and
hand it to a woman waiting on the other side.
"A military policeman lifted the bag, which was heavy, and
placed it on the table. The soldier noticed the boy was
uneasy and, when she questioned him, he told her the bag
didn't belong to him and he had been asked to take it
through," Lt.-Col. Guy, a Paratroop Brigade battalion
commander, told The Jerusalem Post.
"She immediately alerted officers, and with the other
soldiers, distanced everyone from the area.
"When the boy's dispatchers saw he was being detained, they
dialed the cellphone inside the bag meant to detonate the
bomb, but it failed to go off," he said.
Guy said the boy will be freed after questioning. "We're not
going to do anything with a boy like that, an innocent kid
trying to earn his daily bread. Someone apparently promised
him money for getting the bomb across."
Guy said it is common for terrorist groups to use children or
women as couriers for arms and explosives. "We caught a 39-
year-old mother of seven . . . with an explosive belt under
her clothes," he said, adding that the woman was on her way
into Israel from the West Bank when she was caught.
