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The quick thinking of paratroopers at the Hawara checkpoint near Nablus prevented Husam Abdu, 14, who was wearing a belt of explosives, from blowing himself up on Wednesday.
"He was fully aware of what he was to do and told us he received NIS 100 and was instructed to blow himself up near soldiers," battalion commander Lt.-Col. Guy told The Jerusalem Post. "The soldiers' quick action not only saved their lives but those of 200 Palestinian men, women, and children who were at the roadblock."
The belt contained eight kilograms of explosives, plus bolts and screws. It was later blown up by sappers.
"I wouldn't be surprised if the terrorists attempt to dispatch a pregnant woman wearing explosives next," Guy said. "It is hard to believe how low the terrorists are willing to stoop. They have no morals."
"Someone forced him to do this," said Khalil Abdu, the boy's uncle in an interview with Channel 1.
"They brainwashed him," he added.
Asked whether Husam's actions were a result of incitement and martyrdom ideology taught to Palestinian children at West Bank schools, Khalil said: "No, they don't teach them that it is good to kill Israelis and become Shahids. If my hands fall on those who sent him, I swear to God I will kill them."
"Husam is a normal boy. He went to school in the morning and didn't return home." Khalil added.
It was the second time in 10 days the Fatah Tanzim in Nablus attempted to turn children into human bombs. On March 15, Abdullah Kuran, 11, was asked to carry several bags through the roadblock and hand them to a woman waiting on the other side for NIS 5.
Unaware that one of the bags contained a 10-kilo bomb, he was stopped by soldiers who discovered it during a routine inspection. When Kuran's dispatchers saw he had been stopped, they attempted to detonate the bomb by cellphone, but failed.
The following day security forces discovered a 10-kilo bomb hidden in a truckload of merchandise at a roadblock on the other side of Nablus. It had been buried among rolls of cloth, sweets, and other goods.
"My soldiers spotted Abdu as he pushed through the line of Palestinians waiting to undergo inspection and began racing toward them," said Guy. "He was four or five meters from them.
"Noticing that his shirt was padded, they called out to him to halt. They took cover, aimed their weapons at him, and told him to raise his hands. Then they asked him to lift his shirt and saw the belt of explosives. Seeing the soldiers' weapons, he became frightened and told the soldiers he was scared."
Soldiers also moved the Palestinians at the roadblock away. Abdu stood in isolation with his hands raised until sappers dispatched a robot carrying scissors to him and instructed him to cut the shoulder straps holding up the belt and to slip it off.
He was then told to strip to insure that no additional explosives were strapped to him.
He cut off part of it and struggled with the rest. "I don't how to get this off," he said.
"It is sad and tragic," said Guy. "He was fully aware of his actions and wanted to blow up, as he was promised 72 virgins in heaven and NIS 100," Guy said.
Abdu, who lives in Nablus, told interrogators he was jeered at by his friends who made fun of him, and decided to take advantage of the offer.
"Blowing myself up is the only chance I've got to have sex with 72 virgins in the Garden of Eden," Abdu said his handlers had told him.
Security officials have not ruled out the possibility that the same cell is responsible for dispatching both would-be bombers and that Hizbullah instructed it to launch the attacks.
Officials noted that terrorist organizations
are encountering difficulties in launching attacks from the city and are
using children, who they believe will be less likely to be inspected.
Guy said that following the capture
of Kuran, officials studied ways of enhancing security at roadblocks around
the city, taking into account that terrorists might again attempt to use
children.
Thirty-one suicide bombers have been younger than 18, and more than 40 minors who were actively involved in planning suicide bombings have been arrested. Since May 2001, 22 shootings and bombings were perpetrated by minors.
Israeli officials expressed shock at the second use of a young boy as a suicide bomber.
"No matter how many times Israel learns of the use of children for suicide bombings, it is shocking on each occasion," said Dore Gold, an adviser to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. "Israelis do not understand how Palestinians are willing to sacrifice their own children in order to kill ours."
Physicians for Human Rights also condemned the use of children, calling it "illegal and immoral."
Abdu's family said the teenager was not affiliated with any group, but went to rallies and identified with whichever group had carried out the latest attack.
They said he acted strangely Tuesday, giving out candy to his family and neighbors and refusing to explain why. He got his hair cut in the style his mother, Tamam, likes and told her he would do anything she wants.
"You never are like this," she said "What happened?"
"I just want you to be happy with me," he responded.
He left his house Wednesday morning
saying he was going to school, but never arrived there.
Hosni Abdu said he was furious
with whomever persuaded his brother to become a suicide bomber. "The ones
who sent him are stupid, because the army will give him two slaps and he
will tell them who sent him," he said.
AP contributed to this report.
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