Israel defence forces yesterday afternoon arrested a 14-year-old Palestinian boy at a West Bank checkpoint after relieving the youngster of explosives strapped to his chest.

Israeli troops managed to talk Hussan Abdu into surrendering at Hawara checkpoint before his deadly 18-lb load could be unleashed.

According to the Israeli newspaper Ha’aretz, the Palestinian boy was paid 100 shekels, about £12, to blow himself up at a roadblock.

Abdu told soldiers he had been promised sexual relations with “72 virgins” in heaven.

The teenager said he wanted to be a “hero.”

The al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, the military wing of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat’s Fatah movement, was accused and condemned for orchestrating the terror plot.

Last Monday, 11-year-old Abdullah Quran was stopped at a checkpoint near Nablus, where it was discovered he was carrying about 12-lbs of explosives in a bag.

Israel forces said the boy was oblivious to the deadly contents, adding the boy was given five shekels – the equivalent of 60p – to go through the checkpoint and give the bag to an old woman on the other side.