More arrests over Jerusalem bomb 'plot'

Supporters of the two suspects wait outside court

Israeli police have arrested two more suspects in connection with an alleged plot by Jewish extremists to blow up an Arab girls' school in east Jerusalem.

Noam Federman, a member of the oulawed Kach party, and Menashe Levinger, the son of a leading West Bank rabbi, are suspected of helping the others acquire weapons.

Had the bombing taken place, it would have caused grave damage to the security of the state

Judge Reuven Shmiya

Six people have now been detained since police thwarted what they say was a planned attack two weeks ago.

Details are only emerging now because of initial reporting restrictions imposed by an Israeli court.

Home-made bomb

Investigators say the group were planning to blow up the school and possibly a hospital next door in Abu Tor.

According to a police report, the alleged plot was foiled by chance after police arrested two men seen behaving suspciously in their car in the neighbourhood on 29 April.

The vehicle was searched and police found guns, a large home-made bomb and flammable liquid in the boot and in a trailer attached to the car.

Police said the bomb was set to go off at 0735 local time (0435 GMT) when 1,500 students at the school were lined up for morning assembly.

Jerusalem Magistrate's Court Judge Reuven Shmiya said "there is no doubt that had the bombing taken place, it would have caused grave damage to the security of the state".

Extremist activity

Mr Federman was remanded in custody for eight days, while Mr Levinger was ordered to be held for 48 hours.

Levinger's father founded the Jewish settler movement

Mr Federman, who comes from the West Bank town of Hebron, has a record of extremist activity.

He is a prominent supporter of the banned Kach party, which advocates the expulsion of Palestinians from the West Bank and Gaza.

Mr Levinger is the son of a rabbi who re-established Hebron's Jewish community after Israel captured the West Bank in 1967.

The four other suspects are residents of the Beit Eyin and Maon Farm settlements in the West Bank, near Hebron.

Police now say they are investigating whether the group is linked to a series of terror attacks against Arab targets carried out over the past two years.