05-Oct-15: More on the perpetrators of the Henkin killings

Nablus city center (from the municipality's website)

Information is emerging in stages. And both Hamas and Nablus take a starring role.

The text of an official statement made by the Government Press Office tonight includes some key pieces of information for those, like us, concerned to spotlight the role of Hamas in ongoing terrorism warfare against Israelis. These are all verbatim quotes from that report:

• The ISA [better known as the Shin Bet], IDF and Israel Police have arrested members of the cell that perpetrated the attack. The detainees have been transferred for investigation by the ISA and have admitted their involvement in the murder of the Henkins.
• The cell – affiliated with Hamas in Nablus – numbered five terrorists, each of which had a defined role. One terrorist checked the route. Three terrorists were in the attacking vehicle – a driver and two attackers. The cell commander was not in the vehicle. Several additional suspects have been arrested on suspicion of aiding the cell.
• The cell commander was Raeb Ahmed Muhammad Alivi [we think Alawi might be a better transliteration], born in 1978, and active in Hamas's military wing. He recruited the members of the cell, instructed them and provided them with weapons.
• Members of the cell included: Yehye Muhammad Naif Abdallah Haj Hamed, born in 1991, a resident of Nablus. A Hamas member, he carried out the shooting in this attack and has been active in others. Samir Zahir Ibrahim Kusa, born in 1982, a resident of Nablus. A Hamas member, he drove the attacking vehicle. Kerem Lutfy Fathi Razek, born in 1992, a resident of Nablus. A Hamas member, he set out on the attack armed with a pistol but was mistakenly wounded by his colleague during the carrying out of the attack. Zid Ziad Jamil Amar, born in 1989, a resident of Nablus. A Hamas member, he checked the route.
• During the shooting, one of the cell members was accidentally shot by one of his colleagues and dropped his pistol, which was left at the scene and found by Israeli forces. After carrying out the shooing, the terrorists fled toward Nablus.
• The cell members also said that they had been involved in two shooting attacks in recent weeks, neither of which resulted in casualties, including the 30 August attack near the entrance to Kedumim.
• The investigation of the cell members is continuing.

Fatah, Hamas' sworn enemy, earlier claimed credit. Such is life among the savages.

Ynet is reporting that Alawi, the ring-leader, spent time inside Israel's prison system but does not elaborate. Was he released in a deal? We are checking.

There's some graphic security-camera video [via YouTube] from inside a Nablus hospital of armed Israeli forces entering and apprehending an injured attacker. Ynet is reporting that the person being arrested is Karam al-Masri, 23. (He is not named among the five arrested suspects.) Al-Masri happens to be the name of the human bomb planted by the infamous terrorist Ahlam Tamimi, whose explosion in the center of Jerusalem on August 9, 2001 destroyed the Sbarro pizzeria and the lives of dozens of Jewish families. We don't know whether there is a close relationship, but we're checking.

From social media posts tonight, we see that the hospital where the suspect was picked up is Arab Specialist Hospital, Nablus which

was established in 1997 and included the most important sections multiple medical treatment center and cardiac surgery center and blood diseases and bone and runs these sections Kadrozifa trained and qualified and has a high efficiency. Runs the hospital Arab specialists with expertise and high efficiency and management of distinctive always strives to be the best. [The hospital's website]

Haaretz is reporting tonight that four additional Israel Defense Forces battalions have now been sent in to Nablus which is now locked down to facilitate the ongoing search for the terrorists responsible for the attack.