Police thwart attempt to blow up Jerusalem's light rail, four suspects arrested

Detectives from the police’s Jerusalem District, together with Border Police personnel, arrested four suspects from east Jerusalem, aged 15-16, who made multiple pipe bombs and placed them under a light rail station in Jerusalem.

The police became aware of the incident while investigating other incidents relating to the use of pipe bombs and stones thrown at police and other light rail vehicles.

From the investigation, it became apparent that the four suspects, some of whom banded together, trained, assembled, planted the explosive charge (an improvised explosive device) at a light rail station, and documented the act.

Furthermore, the police reported that one of the suspects threw an explosive device towards the light rail, while other suspects threw stones towards the light rail and fled the scene.

Police initially responded to reports of alleged gunfire

Policemen were called to the scene following reports of stone-throwing and gunfire. They began investigating and collecting evidence, later discovering that it was actually an improvised explosive device that detonated after being thrown at the light rail rather than the believed gunfire.

Jerusalem District investigators uncovered another case in which one of the suspects placed an improvised explosive device under the rail when the train arrived at the platform.

Still, the device did not detonate, and the suspect fled the scene. In both cases, there were no injuries to passengers or pedestrians and minor damage was caused to the light rail.

Furthermore, it emerged from the investigation that some of the suspects were involved in several other incidents of stone-throwing towards security forces in recent months.

The police interrogated the suspects, and the Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court extended their arrest. Upon completion of the investigation by the Police, evidentiary infrastructure was established against the four terrorists, and a prosecutor’s statement was filed against them.