MK Yehudah Glick
MK Yehudah GlickYehudah Glick

Mouad Ashtiya, the leader of the Hamas terrorist cell which plotted to kidnap a Jew during Hanukkah, was accused of planning the kidnapping and murder of MK Yehuda Glick (Likud), and of attempting to kidnap IDF officer Avichai Adaree, who serves as head of the Arab media department at the IDF Spokesperson's Office.

The indictment filed against Ashtiya reveals that after he had collected intelligence on his intended victims he concluded that the operations would be too difficult for his terror cells to carry out, and so he directed them to kidnap a random Israeli soldier or civilian instead.

MK Glick survived an assassination attempt three years ago over his advocacy for Jewish rights on the Temple Mount.

The Israel Security Agency (Shabak) and Israel Police revealed last week that they had recently foiled an attempted kidnapping in Samaria.

The kidnapping was planned by Hamas, and was scheduled for the Hanukkah holiday.

During October and November, the Shabak discovered that members of a Hamas terror cell from Kafr Tal, near Shechem (Nablus) were planning a terror attack.

In the course of the investigation, it was discovered that the cell was planning to kidnap an IDF soldier or a Jewish civilian from a bus stop at one of the central junctions near Shechem in Samaria.

Mouad Ashtiya, 26, has been identified as the cell leader. Ashtiya planned the attack, acquired weapons, and enlisted Mahmad Ramadan and Ahmad Ramadan, both 19, to join the cell and aid the attack. The three gathered exact intelligence about the routes, bus stops and central junctions, and were planning to disguise themselves as Israeli civilians to cause the abductees to enter their vehicles.

All three members were in contact with Hamas terrorist Oumar Atzeida, who serves as a Gaza commander and works to advance terror activities and move money from Gaza to Judea and Samaria.

The Hamas command center in Gaza provided funds and guidance, and the purpose of the planned kidnapping was to advance negotiations for the release of jailed Hamas terrorists.