Israeli police said on Sunday they had defused a car bomb left at a shopping mall by Palestinians. A small blast, possibly caused by a botched detonation, drew the attention of police to the parking area of the mall in the northern city of Haifa on Saturday night, said police spokesman Mickey Rosenfeld.
According to Reuters, they found a "large explosive" in the car and called in bomb disposal experts, said Rosenfeld, adding: "We believe it was an attempt to carry out a terrorist attack."
Israeli media reported a little-known Palestinian armed faction called Liberators of the Galilee had claimed responsibility for planting the bomb. The group was quoted as saying it wanted to avenge Israel's demolition of Palestinian homes in Jerusalem and the recent Israeli military offensive in Gaza.
Israeli media added on Sunday that 40 kilograms of explosive materials were found in the car.
