Court Indicts Arab Illegal Arms Dealers

A Be’er Sheva court on Sunday issued an indictment against five residents of the Bedouin town of Rahat in southern Israel, and residents of Chevron, for dealing in illegal arms. The group was arrested after a lengthy investigation. The weapons, said the indictment, had been sold to both criminal and terrorist groups.

Along with the indictments, state prosecutors filed a request with the court to seize the assets of the indicted parties that may have derived from the illegal sales. Officials said that such weapons were used in terror attacks as well as for criminal activity, and that security forces were determined to seize all weapons that were being held illegally by all people, in order to better protect all Israelis and residents of Palestinian Authority-controlled areas, who are also under threat by terrorists and criminals.

Overnight Motzoei Shabbos, security officials said they arrested six wanted security suspects in areas across Yehudah and Shomron. The suspects were wanted for participating in rioting and throwing stones and firebombs that endangered Israeli civilians and IDF soldiers. Several of the suspects were also charged with belonging to Hamas. All were being questioned on their activities by security forces.