2 Palestinians arrested for plot to poison Ramat Gan diners

      Two Palestinians from the West Bank city of Nablus were arrested last month for planning to poison diners at the Ramat Gan restaurant that employed them, according to details revealed Thursday after a gag order was lifted. The pair of 21-year-olds have been identified as Ahmed Abu-Riyal and Mustafa Salum, and were arrested by the Shin Bet security service and Tel Aviv District police. A Shin Bet probe ascertained that the men were recruited to a militant cell of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades which was directed and appointed by the Lebanese guerilla group Hezbollah. The targeted restaurant was the "Grill Express" on Ramat Gan's Hayarkon street. Both Abu-Riyal and Salum were working there illegally. The arrest occurred a month ago after intelligence was passed onto the Shin Bet about the would-be unprecedented attack, only days before it was planned to take place. A gag order was placed upon the affair following the arrest. In an investigation into the incident, the pair confessed to their involvement in the planning of the attack. The investigation ascertained that the pair were meant to receive poison from two wanted Palestinians, Hani Ka'abi and Husseini Selag, who headed up the organizational efforts for the attack. Abu-Riyal and Salum intended to use a white, odorless and tasteless poison, planning to slip it into food which was served at the eatery. The investigation also revealed that the poison was meant to take effect only some four hours after ingestion. This would have enabled the pair to harm a greater number of people, the Shin Bet stated. (21,29)