Prison Service officials said that they have uncovered a plot by Arab terrorists in a prison in northern Israel to tunnel their way out. The terrorists managed to partially dig out an escape tunnel without prison staff being aware of their activity.
Acting on a tip, officials discovered the well-hidden tunnel over the weekend, and removed the terrorists from their cell.
The cell was occupied by eight members of Islamic Jihad, all of whom are serving terms for terror acts and endangering the lives of Israelis – with some carrying sentences of several decades. It is not clear where the terrorists got the tools to dig up the tunnel from, or where they put the sand and dirt they removed when they bore through the tunnel.
Prison service officials are inspecting other prisoners' cells as well, searching for other tunnels.