ISRAELI TROOPS RAIDED A WEST BANK VILLAGE NEAR JENIN EARLY TUESDAY AND ARRESTED THE FATHER OF A SUICIDE BOMBER WHO KILLED NINE PEOPLE IN AN ATTACK IN TEL AVIV, WITNESSES SAID. THE FAMILY OF THE BOMBER, SAMER HAMMAD, HAD EMPTIED THE HOME OF ALL FURNITURE OVERNIGHT FOR FEAR THE ARMY WOULD DEMOLISH THE BUILDING, AS IT OFTEN DOES THE HOMES OF ATTACKERS, THE WITNESSES WAS QUOTED AS SAYING BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS. BUT THE ARMY WAS NOT IMMEDIATELY PREPARING TO DESTROY THE BUILDING, THE WITNESSES SAID. THE ISLAMIC JIHAD GROUP TOOK RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE BOMBING ON MONDAY AND IDENTIFIED HAMMAD AS THE ATTACKER SOON AFTER THE EXPLOSION AT A FALAFEL RESTAURANT IN TEL AVIV. IN A VIDEO RELEASED BY THE GROUP, HAMMAD SAID THE BOMBING WAS DEDICATED TO THE THOUSANDS OF PALESTINIAN PRISONERS IN ISRAELI JAILS.
