A 16 Palestinian boy, Hussam Abdu, who looked several years younger, was caught trying to approach an Israeli checkpoint while equipped with an explosive belt. The boy changed his mind about being a suicide bomber when confronted by soldiers. After interrogation, several members of the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade were arrested. Hussam Abdu is one of several recent attempts to use children as suicide bombers. This has hurt the Palestinian cause because of the condemnation from the Palestinian and international community. But the Palestinian media, interestingly, has denied the use of children and portrayed the issue as an Israeli plot to discredit Palestinian terrorist groups.