Jerusalem police go on red alert

www.jpost.com ^ | Mar. 21, 2006 | Etgar Lefkovits

[Esther Ruth]

Jerusalem police go on red alert

Etgar Lefkovits, THE JERUSALEM POST Mar. 21, 2006

Citing intelligence information over a planned terror attack, Jerusalem police on Tuesday went on a heightened state of alert, police said.

Police set up spot checkpoints throughout the city and were inspecting suspicious vehicles and persons in an effort to ward off an attack.

[Esther Ruth]

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/news.php3?id=100519
Suicide Bomber Caught On Jerusalem-Tel Aviv Highway
15:40 Mar 21, '06 / 21 Adar 5766
By Scott Shiloh



A suicide bomber carrying 13.5 pounds of explosives was arrested Tuesday afternoon near the town of Sha’alvim along the Jerusalem Tel Aviv highway, narrowly averting a major terrorist strike.


Earlier in the day, police put Jerusalem and its vicinity on high alert when intelligence warned of an impending terrorist strike. All traffic on the Tel Aviv – Jerusalem highway (Route 1) was stopped (pictured above) until police at a highway roadblock halted a GMC van that was transporting ten Arabs, including the bomber.

Shortly afterwards, the suspect was arrested and his bomb was neutralized. Police suspect the bomber was on his way to carry out a major terrorist attack in the center of the country.

The incident blocked traffic for miles on Route 1 as well as on Route 6, the north-south turnpike, which had been blocked by police in order to prevent the terrorist from quickly escaping to other parts of the country.

After being warned by police, the Magen David Adom ambulance service went on full alert in Jerusalem and the center of the country earlier in the day, in preparation for a major attack. Alert levels were reduced following the terrorist’s capture, and traffic on Route 1 has returned to normal.

Heightened security remains in effect at roadblocks leading into the capital, as incoming vehicles are more thoroughly checked. The added security is expected to exacerbate traffic congestion into Jerusalem.

Israel’s security services currently have information relating to 70 potential terrorist threats. Thirteen of those threats are “specific,” meaning they relate to a specific place or time.

Authorities are worried that Arab terrorists will attempt to strike on or before Israel’s March 28 general election. The police will operate on an emergency footing on the day of the election.

Published: 13:52 March 21, 2006
Last Update: 15:40 March 21, 2006

[Prophet in the wilderness]

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