Five more members of a Hezbollah-linked terrorist cell who were allegedly involved in the planning of an attack on a rabbi in Bab Touma in Damascus’s old city were arrested by Syrian security officials on Saturday, according to the country’s Interior Ministry and media reports.
Rabbi Michael Khoury was the reported target of an attack, according to Israeli media and Radio Free Syria, though Syrian state media reported only that the cell intended to target “a religious figure in the vicinity of the Maronite Church in Bab Touma on April 11.”
In addition to the arrests, the ministry announced the seizure of a weapons cache including multiple firearms, grenades, ammunition, explosive materials, and detonators “prepared for use in planned attacks aimed at undermining security in the area.”
Hezbollah previously denied being tied to the cell, claiming that it has “no activity, affiliation, or relationship with any party in Syria, and no presence on Syrian soil.”
Syrian Mosaic Foundation founder unsurprised by terror attempt
Joe Jajati, the Jewish Syrian-American founder of the Syrian Mosaic Foundation, told The Jerusalem Post that the situation was unsurprising, but he was grateful to the many who helped ensure the attack was unsuccessful.
“While this security threat is concerning, it is not surprising. As a Syrian Jew, I am well aware of the rhetoric from radical factions and the real dangers they present. But I am deeply grateful to the neighbors who alerted the authorities and for their decisive action in preventing a tragedy,” he wrote to the Post.
“This is a clear example of when people are together as one and able to protect each other.”
“We now want to focus on practical solutions, like working with local residents and authorities to modernize the neighborhood’s infrastructure, specifically through improved street lighting, electricity, and security systems.
“And when enhancing safety for one resident, we enhance safety for all. We hope for a stable future and peace for all the region,” he concluded.