The Shin Bet security service has arrested two Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem suspected of plotting to fire rockets at a major sports stadium in the capital on behalf of Hamas, a gag order lifted Sunday revealed.
Mussa Hamada and Basem Omri, both Israeli citizens, were allegedly planning to carry out the attack on Teddy Stadium during a Premier League soccer game, but the plot never came into fruition.
Both suspects have allegedly been affiliated with terrorist activities organized by Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood for a number of years. Their involvement in planning terror attacks began after Israel's offensive on the Gaza Strip two years ago, according to the Shin Bet.
The two had apparently been scoping out the hills around Teddy Stadium to find a spot from which to launch the rocket and had been gathering information about security in the area, said the Shin Bet.
The Shin Bet said that the suspects had already collected a number of pistols and were working up to a cache of additional weapons and explosive materials to create the rocket device.
The security service arrested at least three Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem also suspected of taking part in the sale and purchase of these weapons.
Hamada apparently met with other Islamist activists a number of times over the last few years in Saudi Arabia, the investigation revealed, where he acquired money and the pistols for his terror activities.
The Jerusalem District Court indicted both Hamada and Omri on charges including membership in a terrorist network, illegal possession of weapons and conspiracy to commit a crime.
