Palestinian sources confirmed that Palestinian security forces arrested three Palestinians Saturday evening after finding grenades,guns, and an M-16 sub machine gun in their backpacks. The Israeli Security Agency (Shin Bet) have taken the suspects into custody and are investigating the circumstances.
According to the sources, the three were on their way to carry out a shooting attack against unspecified Israeli targets. The three were arrested in the village Arura, northwest of Ramallah.
Palestinian security officials arrived on the scene after local police received reports of three young men surveying one of the hills in the area. The three men were initially thought to be settlers. Upon further investigation, Palestinian police forces found the three suspects, who had been pronounced missing as of ten days ago.
The suspects were named as Basel al-Araj, 33, from the village of Al Waji, near Bethlehem, Muhammad Harab, 23, from Jenin, and Haytham Siyag, 19 from Hebron.
The sources added that the three men aroused suspicion after they were noticed carrying unusually large backpacks. The men were transported by security forces from the village Arura to the Shin Bet intelligence headquarters.
Last Friday, the three were pronounced missing and extensive searches to locate them were carried out.