3 terror suspects arrested in Umm el-Fahem

Cleared for publication: The police on Sunday evening arrested four Palestinians and an Israeli Arab in Umm el-Fahem. Three of them are suspected of planning to carry out a terror attack in Israel and are related to earlier security warnings. The other two detainees are illegal residents.

Following a security warning, the Wadi Ara road in the north of Israel was blocked for traffic for hours.

The five were arrested in two different houses in Umm el-Fahem after security forces searched the city for hours. The forces called on the suspects to come out of the houses they were hiding in, and then arrested them.

In addition, a vehicle which was apparently used by the suspects was found in another part of the city, with a big bag inside of it. At first, police suspected that the bag contained an explosive device, but it eventually turned out that it only contained clothes.

Traffic jams on Wadi Ara road (Photo: Hagai Aharon)

On Sunday afternoon, the police blocked Road 65 for traffic from east to west following warnings on terrorists' plans to carry out a terror attack. The road reopened after three hours. 

The police set up roadblocks in the entire area, and every vehicle underwent a security check, for fear that a terrorist was hiding in one of the cars.

The Northern District Police spokesman added that "due to the high alert in the Northern District area, focusing on the Wadi Ara and Umm el-Fahem areas, police cars will patrol the routes, roadblocks will be set up, and comprehensive security checks of vehicles and suspects will take place."

The Northern District Police called on the public to be patient and not come near the area at this stage.

15 concrete warnings  

A warning on a terrorist who managed to infiltrate Israel raised the alert level in the police's northern district.

Information received by the defense establishment revealed that a terrorist arrived in the area in a bid to carry out a terror attack. Following the warning, the police boosted forces along the Seam Line and at the entrances to cities, partly blocking the Wadi Ara road for traffic.

The warning was received by the defense establishment on Sunday afternoon, but according to the information received it was unclear whether the terrorist was carrying an explosive device or was to receive the device in an area near the place where he planned to carry out the attack.

The defense establishment currently holds 15 concrete warnings on terror organizations' plans to carry out terror attacks.

The warnings refer to suicide bombings, shooting attacks, firing of rockets and kidnapping attacks. The warnings focus on the area of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

Efrat Weiss contributed to the report