Israel Matzav

Breaking: Major terror attack averted False alarm in Be'er Sheva

A major terror attack was thought to have been averted at the Egged Bus Station in Be'er Sheva (pictured) on Sunday afternoon when three suspicious individuals carrying large bags were stopped by security guards. This is from JPost:

The three were arrested after they refused to stop for a security search. After the arrests, the suspects' bags were transferred to police sappers, who were looking for explosive materials or devices.

Security forces evacuated all civilians, including passengers and shopkeepers, from the area.

A Beersheba Police department source told Israel Radio that one bag had been cleared as containing nothing suspicious, and that at least two of the three suspects were in Israel illegally. A spokesperson told Army Radio that searches were continuing, though nothing suspicious had been found.

However, Arutz Sheva first cited an Israel Radio report that claimed that a major terror attack was averted, but subsequently reported a false alarm.

Speaking in a radio interview, a top Beersheva police official said that two officers, along with several passerby, had identified two suspicious individuals in the Beersheva bus station on Sunday afternoon. Police said that the three individuals – the two identified originally, along with a third person – had been arrested, based on their suspicious behavior. A subsequent search of the large backpacks they were carrying did not yield any explosives or weapons. The three suspects, however, turned out to be illegal Arabs who were apparently from Palestinian Authority controlled areas, residing in Israel illegally.

Although the incident could be said to qualify as a false alarm, the official said, police would prefer to err on the side of caution. The bus and train station, both of which had been closed and cleared of people, were set to reopen later Sunday afternoon.

That's the price we pay for security: Occasionally, there is a false alarm.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 1:45 PM