The Israel Police and the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) thwarted a planned terrorist attack in Jerusalem and arrested a resident of the city’s east suspected of preparing to carry out a bombing, the agencies said on Sunday.

The suspect planed a combined attack on civilian targets in the southern part of the city, the statement continued. Potential targets included the Jerusalem Light Rail, a public bus and a restaurant.

The suspect was studying how to assemble explosive devices and had acquired materials such as metal pipes, matchboxes and fireworks, the Shin Bet and police said. These materials were allegedly used to construct several improvised explosive devices, including pipe bombs.

During the investigation, authorities discovered that the suspect had expressed a willingness to die as a shahid (“martyr”) and had been consuming religious content to motivate the execution of the planned attacks. The official report said the attacks were intended to harm Jewish civilians.

The arrest was carried out by the Central Unit of the Jerusalem District Police in cooperation with the Shin Bet. The suspect’s detention has been extended by the court and an indictment is expected to be filed in the coming days.

Image - Yonatan Sindel/Flash90