Illegal weapons rampant in Arab sector
Shin Bet to join war on Arab sector arms
Following recent Arab sector murders, police to enlist Shin Bet's help in countering illegal arms held by Arab Israeli criminals
The Shin Bet will be joining forces with the Israel Police in an effort to confiscate illegal weapons in Israel's Arab sector, Ynet learned.
The cooperation agreement was finalized in a meeting between Internal Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovitch and Shin Bet Director Yuval Diskin. The move follows recent murders within the Arab community in the city of Lod, where victims were shot to death from close range.
The Shin Bet, Israel's domestic security agency, usually refrains from involvement in police work. However, the agency was enlisted to the cause in order to help the struggling police to deal with the illegal arms phenomenon.
As opposed to the police's difficulties in resolving the issue, Shin Bet agents using various methods and advanced technologies have been highly successful in confiscating weapons and detaining terrorists in Judea and Samaria.
Officials estimate that most illegal weapons in the Arab sector had been stolen and are in the hands of criminal elements in the community.
The new campaign, initiated by Minister Aharonovitch, will be getting underway in the coming days.
Ahuva Mamos contributed to the story
