- Four IDF soldiers, among them three non-commissioned
officers, were arrested Monday on suspicion of selling ammunition to hostile
Palestinian sources. The four live in settlements south of Mount Hebron
and serve in various army units, including a transportation unit and an
air force unit. An IDF spokesperson confirmed that four soldiers had been
arrested on the matter and that if the suspicions are proven, "The
IDF will see the case in a very grave light." The families of the
four suspects vehemently deny suspicions against them.
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- Two of those arrested are brothers, residents of the
Adura settlement, and the other two, also brothers, reside in Telem, an
adjacent settlement. The IDF has expressed surprise over the fact that
the four are settlers, who have themselves witnessed terror attacks. Five
Israelis were killed in Adura in an attack carried out by Hamas two months
ago.
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- Along with the four soldiers, two Palestinians with whom
the four were in contact were arrested. One of the Palestinians is a resident
of the village of Tarkumiyah, in Mount Hebron area. The second Palestinian
has Israeli citizenship. The two are suspected of serving as contacts
in transferring the stolen ammunition.
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- The military police and officers from the Judea and
Samaria district are investigating the incident.
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- One of the non-commissioned officers was caught with
1000 bullets in his car, most likely prior to a sale. It is suspected
that ammunition sales took place over the course of several years. The
connection between the four soldiers and stolen weapons from the Adura
weapons warehouse several months ago is being investigated.
-
- If the suspicions are proven correct, this would be the
worse case of weapons and ammunition theft in the army since the outbreak
of the intifada in September 2000.
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- http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemN
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