Man convicted of a series of security offenses, including membership in Hamas and aggravated grievous bodily harm. The Jerusalem District Court sentenced an east Jerusalem resident to seven and a half years in prison on Tuesday after convicting him of a series of security offenses, including membership in Hamas and aggravated grievous bodily harm.

Muhammad Adawayat, a 30-year-old resident of Sur Bahir on the southeastern outskirts of Jerusalem, was convicted of membership in a terrorist organization, carrying weapons, producing weapons and aggravated grievous bodily harm. He plead guilty in a plea bargain.

According to the indictment, Adawayat joined Hamas in 2003 and was trained in – among other things – how to produce explosive devices.

In March 2011, Adawayat prepared a bomb and detonator designed to be triggered by a cellphone.

He concealed the device in a loaf of bread with the intent of planting it in a bus stop on the Jerusalem-Gush Etzion road.

However, Adawayat changed his mind and discarded the device near the Gilo neighborhood in Jerusalem, where it was discovered by two Jerusalem municipal employees. One of the employees, an 18-yearold, picked up the loaf of bread containing the device, which subsequently exploded and blew off his right forearm.

Adawayat was also ordered to pay the injured man NIS 200,000 in compensation. (© 1995-2011, The Jerusalem Post 03/28/12)