Israeli police discovered a 25-meter-long tunnel dug from the West Bank toward Israeli territory near the a-Za'im crossing east of Jerusalem. Two suspects — a Palestinian from al-Eizariya and a Jerusalem resident — were arrested on suspicion the tunnel was intended for terrorism and smuggling illegal residents, according to police.
Israeli police said Wednesday they uncovered a tunnel dug from the West Bank toward Israeli territory near the a-Za'im crossing east of Jerusalem, and arrested two suspects allegedly involved in its construction.
The Israel Police Judea and Samaria District said officers and Border Police fighters responding to a report from the Civil Administration found the tunnel, which extended approximately 25 meters from Palestinian territory toward Israel. Investigators recovered digging tools, water bottles, gloves, face masks, and other equipment at the scene.
Forensic evidence, including DNA, led police to identify two suspects: a Palestinian resident of al-Eizariya and a resident of East Jerusalem, both in their 30s. They were arrested early Wednesday in a joint operation by the Judea and Samaria District's minority crimes unit, Border Police fighters in Judea and Samaria, and Jerusalem District police. The suspects were taken for questioning.
Police suspect the tunnel was dug recently and intended for security offenses, including terrorist activities and smuggling illegal residents into Israel. The Zioneer has previously reported on security forces uncovering smuggling and weapon-manufacturing infrastructure in the a-Za'im area, including a June 12 operation in which Border Police found weapon-production lathes in the village.
Judea and Samaria District Investigations Unit commander Chief Superintendent Moshe 'Muzi' Cohen said the discovery demonstrates the district's operational and investigative capabilities in thwarting security threats before they materialize. "This is an infrastructure that, based on suspicion, was intended for terrorist activity and smuggling illegal residents into the country," he said.
2 developments
- ConfirmedHezbollah's 25-meter-deep terror city revealed 6 km from Israeli border
- StrongPolice arrest two Jerusalem-area suspects in drug trafficking bust; crystal meth and cash seized
- StrongReport on massive terror tunnels in the north prompts comparisons to earlier incident
- DevelopingIDF reveals strategic tunnel with massive launch capabilities dozens of meters deep
Source and signal
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