Israel arrests Palestinian cell suspected of killing teen

Israeli security forces arrested three Palestinian men believed to have carried out the bombing at a nature reserve in the Wet Bank that killed an Israeli teen.

The Israel Security Agency, or Shin Bet announced the arrest of the men, and a fourth member of the cell, on Saturday night. It later was reported by Haaretz that the head of the cell was taken to an Israeli hospital after his interrogation by the Shin Bet. His attorney told Haaretz that he was healthy when he was taken into custody.

Haaretz reported that the interrogators had been given legal permission to use “extraordinary measures” during the interrogation over fears that he had information about an imminent attack. The tactics can include sleep deprivation, extreme temperatures and being placed into uncomfortable positions.

The suspects are members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine based in the area of Ramallah in the West Bank.

The arrest was a joint operation of the Israel Security Agency, the Israel Defense Forces, the Israel Police and the Border Police.

Rina Shnerb, 17, of Lod, her father Eitan, a rabbi, and her brother Dvir, 19, were hiking at the Ein Bubin spring last month when a bomb that had been planted beforehand was detonated by terrorists.

Shnerb was killed and her father and brother seriously injured in the attack near the spring, which was named for a terrorist attack victim who died in 2015, and is a popular destination for hikers. It is near the West Bank settlement of Dolev, east of Modi’in.

The terror cell was planning additional attacks, according to the security service, including shootings and kidnappings, and an additional homemade bomb was found when the men were arrested.