The two were taken into custody about two weeks ago on suspicion of conspiring to commit crimes against the state. The imam is a member of the Islamic Association in the town of Makar, in the north of the country, where the second suspect also lives.
A search of the imam's home turned up four handguns purchased by the two men. Galilee district police spokesperson Commander Kobi David reports that the evidence points to a terror ring, not a criminal matter, but no conclusions have been reached at this stage of the investigation.
The publication of the arrest of the two Israeli Arabs from Makar was quickly followed today by the announcement that six other Israeli Arabs were arrested for conspiring to organize violent protests for tomorrow (known among Israeli Arabs as "Land Day"). Intelligence tips led to the revelation that the six were organizing Arab children in the area to hurl rocks from a local bridge at fast-moving vehicles on the coastal road, perhaps Israel's most-traveled expressway. The six suspects are from Jisr A-Zarka, located along the northern stretch of the highway, just south of Haifa.
On October 7, 2000, an Arab from the same village hurled a large stone block at the car of 54-year-old Jean Bechor, of Rishon Letzion. The block smashed into Bechor's car and hit him in the chest, murdering him.
In the Israeli Arab city of Baka Al-Gharabiya, 18 illegal migrants from the Palestinian Authority were arrested. Among them, eight were discovered to be wanted for questioning by security services in connection with hostile activities.
Following the assassination of Hamas arch-terrorist Ahmed Yassin last week, hundreds of Arabs living in Nazareth dressed in black, hoisted black banners, PLO flags, along with a wheelchair and coffin, and marched in the streets.
Shin Bet Chief Avi Dichter expressed concerns last month over the "worrisome" reality that there is a growing number of Israeli Arabs working to perpetrate terror attacks in Israel. Dichter pointed out over 20 Israeli Arabs assisted suicide bombers carry out attacks in 2003. Police sources have noted that incidents of Israeli Arabs carrying out or attempting to carryout direct acts of terrorism are on the rise: Five cases were uncovered in 2002, seven in 2003, and more three already in 2004 (not including today's revelations).
A search of the imam's home turned up four handguns purchased by the two men. Galilee district police spokesperson Commander Kobi David reports that the evidence points to a terror ring, not a criminal matter, but no conclusions have been reached at this stage of the investigation.
The publication of the arrest of the two Israeli Arabs from Makar was quickly followed today by the announcement that six other Israeli Arabs were arrested for conspiring to organize violent protests for tomorrow (known among Israeli Arabs as "Land Day"). Intelligence tips led to the revelation that the six were organizing Arab children in the area to hurl rocks from a local bridge at fast-moving vehicles on the coastal road, perhaps Israel's most-traveled expressway. The six suspects are from Jisr A-Zarka, located along the northern stretch of the highway, just south of Haifa.
On October 7, 2000, an Arab from the same village hurled a large stone block at the car of 54-year-old Jean Bechor, of Rishon Letzion. The block smashed into Bechor's car and hit him in the chest, murdering him.
In the Israeli Arab city of Baka Al-Gharabiya, 18 illegal migrants from the Palestinian Authority were arrested. Among them, eight were discovered to be wanted for questioning by security services in connection with hostile activities.
Following the assassination of Hamas arch-terrorist Ahmed Yassin last week, hundreds of Arabs living in Nazareth dressed in black, hoisted black banners, PLO flags, along with a wheelchair and coffin, and marched in the streets.
Shin Bet Chief Avi Dichter expressed concerns last month over the "worrisome" reality that there is a growing number of Israeli Arabs working to perpetrate terror attacks in Israel. Dichter pointed out over 20 Israeli Arabs assisted suicide bombers carry out attacks in 2003. Police sources have noted that incidents of Israeli Arabs carrying out or attempting to carryout direct acts of terrorism are on the rise: Five cases were uncovered in 2002, seven in 2003, and more three already in 2004 (not including today's revelations).