Arabs Caught Trying to Smuggle Dozens of Weapons in from Jordan

Security officials Sunday night seized dozens of weapons that Arabs were attempting to smuggle into Israel from Jordan. Security officials followed the movements of a suspect as he sought to cross the border from Jordan into Israel, finally attempting to enter the country in the northern Jordan Valley. The suspect was arrested carrying a large backpack, which was found to contain dozens of handguns, bullets, and other weapons. Also arrested were three Arabs who were waiting for the smuggler on the Israeli side in a vehicle.

Meanwhile on Monday morning, security officials at the Te’enim checkpoint in northern Shomron confiscated more weapons that Arabs in a vehicle were trying to smuggle into Israel. Security officers halted the vehicle for inspection after noticing the driver acting in a suspicious manner. An inspection of the vehicle yielded several weapons and a very large amount of ammunition. The weapons and ammunition were seized and the driver and a second occupant of the vehicle arrested.

Also overnight Sunday, IDF soldiers seized weapons that were to be used in terror attacks. Soldiers, working with police, discovered weapons in the Arab town of Beit Omar near Chevron. Among the weapons was an M-16 rifle. The owner of the house was arrested and questioned on what the weapons were doing there.

In a statement, the army 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 Sunday, security officials said they arrested 10 wanted security suspects in other areas in 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.