Four Arab Israeli citizens were arrested and indicted for ties to Hezbollah for munitions and drug smuggling into Israel, the Shin Bet announced on Thursday, having been caught in possession of Iranian-made explosives.
Kfar Qasim residents Mahmoud Issa, Ahmed Issa, and Galal Harsa, and Lod resident Noach Asam are alleged to have been part of a smuggling ring, which involved receiving and distributing illegal drugs from the terrorist organization. Hezbollah manages a global narcotics network as part of its financing operations.
The Israeli citizens, ranging in age from 28-39, were also suspected of smuggling high-grade explosives through the Lebanese terrorist organization. Two Iranian-made explosives and another high-explosive device were seized by security forces. One of the men indicted intended to use the device for a criminal plot.
How were the suspects identified?
A joint investigation by the Israel Police, the Israel Defense Forces, and the Shin Bet, led to a raid of a residence in Lod by the intelligence agency, the Yamam, and Israeli Border Police in July. The discovery led to the arrest of the other Israelis, who were part of a criminal group.
“This affair once again illustrates the efforts of terrorist elements from Hezbollah and Iran to exploit the Arab citizens of Israel for security activities against the state. It also emerged in the investigation that the seam between the security and the criminal is extremely thin,” said a Shin Bet official.
Explosive device confiscated from authorities following the arrest of four Arab-Israelis for ties to Hezbollah (credit: MAARIV)The Shin Bet said that it would work to thwart future attempts by Iran and Hezbollah to operate in Israel.
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