IDF Arrests Palestinian Terrorist Allegedly Responsible for Central Israel Bus Bombing in February

Latest Developments

Bus Bombing Suspect Arrested: The man suspected of planting bombs in three parked buses in the Tel Aviv suburbs of Bat Yam and Holon on February 20 was arrested on July 23, five months after the failed attack. The IDF and Shin Bet announced in a joint statement that they had arrested Abed al-Karim Snober in the West Bank city of Nablus in an operation that included both organizations and the Israeli Border Police.
Explosion Led to Arrest: According to the IDF’s statement, Snober was located by Israeli authorities after an explosive device he was handling exploded near Nablus, leading to an overnight manhunt after which he was arrested. The statement added that Israeli forces located and destroyed several additional ready-to-use explosive devices near the building where the explosion had occurred.
Botched Bombing: The attack allegedly carried out by Snober saw explosive devices detonate prematurely on three empty Tel Aviv area buses, causing no casualties. Two additional unexploded devices were discovered by Israeli police in Holon, with the bombs reportedly having been set to explode during rush hour the following day, which would have caused hundreds of casualties, according to Israel’s Channel 12 news.

FDD Expert Response

“A Palestinian accused by Israel of carrying out a series of bus bombings is of interest to the Shin Bet intelligence agency. Of particular concern for the Shin Bet is how Snober gained access to Israeli territory, whether he maintains ties to Palestinian terrorist organizations, and if he has familial connections to individuals previously involved in security-related offenses. Clarifying these issues could provide critical insights for the Shin Bet in its efforts to prevent future terrorist attacks.” — Joe Truzman, Senior Research Analyst and Editor at FDD’s Long War Journal

“Palestinian terrorism is designed to strike fear into the hearts of all Israelis. The bus bombs could have killed anybody on their morning commute, regardless of whether they were Jewish, Muslim, or Christian. So long as they were in Israel, they were the target. Only Israeli diligence and luck have prevented these attacks from being deadly daily occurrences. It is not for lack of Palestinian terrorists trying.” — David May, FDD Research Manager and Senior Research Analyst