The explosives, which were discovered by the Israel Security Agency and the Israel Police, were intended for attacks in Israel
Date: 08/08/2012, 1:44 PM
Author: Jonatan Urich
The Hezbollah terror organization smuggled powerful explosives into Israel, using networks of drug dealers, it was revealed today (Wednesday, August 8). The explosives, which were discovered by the Israeli Security Agency (ISA or Shin Bet security service), were intended to be used in terror attacks in Israel. Other weapons, including M-16 rifles, were also discovered.
The ISA reported that in July 2012 a network of Israeli drug dealers was discovered. The criminal activities carried out by this network included the smuggling of explosives from Lebanon into Israel. Early in June, its members smuggled roughly 20 kilograms of C4 explosives, as well as equipment for activating the explosive material.
Twelve suspects have been arrested in the incident, eight of whom have been formally charged. Most of them are drug dealers from the village of Ghajar, near Nazareth, who were involved in smuggling the weapons – which they may have thought to be drugs. The explosives were transferred to a Nazareth resident, who hid them in his yard. The investigation has revealed that the Lebanese drug smugglers, who sent the explosives to Israel, were known as Hezbollah operatives.
This Hezbollah activity joins the terror organization's list of recent attacks and attempted attacks, in various states, including from the Sinai-Gaza Strip area. The ISA emphasized that "the incident shows, once again, the close relations that exist between Hezbollah and Lebanese drug dealers, who in reality constitute an operational arm for it. It also shows that Hezbollah operates as a criminal organization, in order to achieve its objectives."