Hamas bomb factory found in West Bank mosque
Thursday, April 16, 2009 E-Mail this story Free Headline Alerts
RAMALLAH Ñ Hamas was said to have operated a bomb factory in a mosque in the West Bank.
The Palestinian Authority said security forces have found a Hamas bomb-making facility in the West Bank city of Kalkilya. The PA Interior Ministry said the factory was located in a mosque and contained numerous weapons.
"Security forces found a bomb-making factory inside a mosque in Kalkiliya," the ministry said on April 12. "Many of the bombs were ready for use, and many of them were industrial-grade."
Officials said eight Hamas suspects were arrested in connection with the bomb factory. They said the PA has determined that Hamas assembled and operated the plant to produce weapons for attacks against Israel and the PA.
PA police spokesman Adnan Damiri said two bombs were found in the mosque. Damiri said the bomb factory was part of an unspecified plot to overthrow the PA.
This was the first time the PA has accused Hamas of operating a bomb factory in the West Bank. Officials said over the last few months PA security forces have found several weapons caches determined to have belonged to Hamas.