Israel: Hamas attacks foiled with West Bank arrests

Israel's Shin Bet domestic spy agency said on Monday it foiled attacks on army posts around the West Bank city of Hebron by arresting members of the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas. With army backup, its agents "uncovered a military infrastructure in Hebron, whose members were preparing terrorist attacks by Hamas activists," the agency said in a statement. It named three men it said were arrested last November and later charged in a military court after having allegedly confessed to planning bomb and shooting attacks on army posts around Hebron. It said Munjad Juneidi, the local leader of the group, Mohammed Abu Shukhidem and Anas Dweik were charged with membership of an illegal organisation, conspiracy to commit murder, and with firearms and explosives offences. They were directed from the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip by Bassel Haymouni, one of 1,027 Palestinians freed in a 2011 swap for Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, Shin Bet said.