Israel blames Islamic Jihad for foiled bomb plot

Israel linked the Islamic Jihad militant group, which claimed responsibility for a deadly suicide bombing last week, to a failed attempt to blow up a car crammed with half a ton of explosives yesterday.

It was the largest bomb built in more than four years of conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.

Analysts believe the militants are members of a rogue cell directed by Islamic Jihad leaders abroad, against the wishes of local leaders who have agreed to halt attacks in Israel.

Security officials revealed today that a captured Jihad militant told his interrogators of the car bomb plot, plans to carry out a rocket attack on the Israeli town of Afula and preparations for a double suicide bombing against a Jerusalem school.

Jibril Zubeydi was arrested two months ago, the security officials said. His brother, Zakariye Zubeydi, is a leader of the Al Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades militant group in the West Bank town of Jenin.

The military discovered the car filled with explosives parked yesterday at a junction near Jenin when an officer noticed wires sticking out of it. A long cable snaking from the car was attached to a battery and video camera, which was to document the attack, military officials said.

The army detonated the car bomb in a controlled explosion. The other two plots were also foiled, the military said.

The attempted attack followed a suicide bombing outside a Tel Aviv nightclub on Friday night that killed five Israelis and shattered the relative calm following the ceasefire declared by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas.

Palestinian militant groups, including Islamic Jihad and Hamas, had agreed to abide by the ceasefire.

The bombing on Friday was claimed by Islamic Jihad, and Avman said the army believed the same group might have been behind the car bomb.