Israeli police stand guard near a security incident scene near Al-Aqsa compound also known to Jews as the Temple Mount, in Jerusalem’s Old City, April 1, 2023. Photo: REUTERS/Ammar Awad

JNS.org – The Israel Police and the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) preempted a terrorist attack in Jerusalem, police reported on Sunday.

Omar Abedin, 21, a resident of eastern Jerusalem, is suspected of conspiring to carry out a shooting attack on a bus carrying police officers in the Temple Mount area.

The Shin Bet and Jerusalem District Police’s Central Investigations Unit of conducted an investigation of Abedin over the last month.

The investigation revealed that he identifies with the terror group Hamas and was a participant in activities within the Hamas-identified student cell at Birzeit University near Ramallah.

A few months ago, Abedin started communicating via Facebook with a terrorist operative from Lebanon. The two later switched to chatting on Telegram.

At a certain point, Abedin was asked to carry out a shooting or bomb attack for which he would receive financial aid via other operatives from the Judea and Samaria region. He agreed to the request and planned to carry out the attack.

The Jerusalem District Attorney’s Office was expected to file an indictment on Sunday.

“The Israel Security Agency and the Israel Police will continue with determination to thwart any intentions to commit terror attacks as well as to locate and expose connections to direct attacks by terrorist elements outside the country,” the police said.