Police: Rightists worked as spy cell

Investigation reveals 40 of activists who broke into the Ephraim Territorial Brigade's base arrived on bus from Jerusalem's Mercaz Harav Yeshiva. Some collected intelligence on IDF forces

Yair Altman |Published: 12.28.11 , 13:02

The right-wing activists who broke into the Ephraim Territorial Brigade's base worked as a spy cell, a source in the Judea and Samaria District Police told Ynet on Wednesday morning.

Some 300 activists, some of them veiled, rioted about two weeks ago near the West Bank outpost of Ramat Gilad following rumors that it was about to be evacuated. They blocked the road, hurled stones at Palestinian cars and even attacked the vehicle of the Ephraim Brigade commander.

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A Judea and Samaria District Police investigation reveals that at least 40 of the rioters arrived on a bus from Jerusalem's Mercaz Harav Yeshiva.

"They collected intelligence on IDF forces and their apartment was used as an operations room. This allowed them to prepare in advance for evacuations and storm the Ephraim Territorial Brigade's base," the police source told Ynet.

He added that the activity's organizers were residents of Judea and Samaria who were recently banned from the area with administrative orders and now live in Jerusalem near the yeshiva.

ג'יפ הסמח"ט שהושחת (צילום: יואב זיתון)

Brigade commander's torched jeep (Photo: Yoav Zitun)

Police suspect that they took advantage of their proximity to the place and their acquaintanceship with the yeshiva students in order to organize the violent protest, and even collected tires and other equipment, although the military compound break-in was likely not planned.

They arrived at the Ephraim Territorial Brigade's base on a rented bus.

Shortly after they broke into the base, police arrested six right-wing activists, including four of the violent incident's organizers, in their apartment in Jerusalem. The forces were met with violence on the part of the activists. Some even called their friends, who damaged a police car and attacked a female reporter.

Police searched their apartment and found material pointing to a close intelligence follow-up conducted by the activists in regards to buses driving soldiers to different bases.

Police also suspect that at least some of the detained activists violated the restraining order and took an active part in the base riots. Some of the evidence is in the hands of the Makor Rishon newspaper, which has photos of the incident and is refusing to hand them over to the police.

Two of the activists arrested in Jerusalem have been released. Three others will remain in custody until Sunday, and another minor is expected to be released Wednesday.

Earlier this week, the Judea and Samaria District Police detained another suspect, a 22-year-old resident of the Karnei Shomron settlement. His remand has been extended until Friday.