2 terror suspects nabbed in Haifa
Security forces detain two Palestinians suspected of planning to stage terror attack; high alert declared in Haifa called off following arrests
A high alert was declared in the Haifa region shortly before the two suspects were nabbed and security forces boosted operations in the area and set up roadblocks.
The two suspects were detained by Haifa Police Chief Nir Mariash and another police officer. The two officers were patrolling the Carmel area when an alert was received regarding two terrorists en route to carrying out an attack in Haifa. The two officers rushed to the area where a suspected car was spotted and arrested the suspects at gunpoint.
"At that point, after the two were made to lie down on the road, we called in the special forces, whose job it is to interrogate the two, as well as sappers who searched the vehicle," Mariash said. "I'm glad we managed to foil a terror attack in the city of Haifa."
Meanwhile, eyewitnesses said one of the suspects appeared to be 25-year-old and the other one was about 40. According to the reports, a large number of bills, which scattered on the road, were found in the suspects' vehicle. Residents who witnessed the arrest said it was accompanied by warning shots in the air, but police sources denied the report.
'I'm glad it ended this way'
Yair Levy, who owns a store near the arrest site, said he came out of the store when he heard the police cruisers, and noticed the two suspects being taken out of the car.
"The police officers removed their clothes in order to ensure they were not carrying explosives," Levy said. "Later they took apart the vehicle…we know there were alerts all morning and I'm glad it ended this way."
A city hall employee who was watching the incident from her office said "we heard many police cruisers and saw everything through the windows. We weren't stressed out because we were inside the building."
On Sunday, security authorities foiled a suicide attack after nabbing a terrorist carrying an explosive belt in a West Bank taxicab. The terrorist and driver were taken in for interrogation while sappers were called in to blow up the belt in a controlled detonation.
A week ago, police officers in Tel Aviv foiled yet another attack after detaining three suspects, two men and a woman, near the city's port area, known as a lively entertainment venue.
