Illustrative: Israeli soldiers search a Palestinian’s car at a checkpoint in Hebron in the West Bank, August 22, 2023. REUTERS/Mussa Qawasma

i24 News — The Jerusalem Police revealed on Tuesday that they had thwarted a planned series of pipe bomb attacks in East Jerusalem.

A month-long investigation by the Central Unit of the Jerusalem District uncovered a cell of four minors, all residents of East Jerusalem, who were plotting attacks against transport vehicles and security forces in the Silwan area.

The investigation found that the boys meticulously planned their attacks, assigning specific roles among themselves for procuring materials, collecting them, monitoring, and placing the bombs. They had begun researching bomb-making on social media and had purchased some of the necessary materials, even conducting unsuccessful experiments with the explosives.

The suspects, who are all 14 years old and attend the same school, were arrested at the beginning of the month. Their detention has been extended several times by the Jerusalem Magistrate Court. Deputy Superintendent Danny Mizrahi stated, “Revealing their plan, which began to be implemented in the materials they purchased, the preparations they made, and the experiments they conducted, prevented harm to people’s lives and thwarted terrorist operations in East Jerusalem.”

Evidence has been collected against them, and a memorandum has been issued to the prosecution as their detention continues pending the filing of an indictment.