Samaria Territorial Brigade seizes guns, pipe bombs in Nablus security raids

Terrorism finance money was seized, and security forces arrested seven suspects.

By YAAKOV LAPPIN
Weapons seized in Nablus by IDF (photo credit: IDF SPOKESMAN’S UNIT)
Weapons seized in Nablus by IDF
(photo credit: IDF SPOKESMAN’S UNIT)
The Samaria Territorial Brigade launched a security operation overnight between Wednesday and Thursday in Nablus in which it seized weapons during multiple raids.
Two battalions – one from the Paratroop Brigade and one from the Kfir Brigade – were joined by squads from the Duvdevan undercover unit. They captured, among other weapons, two handguns and ammunition, an Uzi submachine gun, an improvised firearm a Kalashnikov rifle and an M-16 assault rife. Soldiers uncovered eight pipe bombs as well. Some NIS 200,000 in terrorism finance money was seized, and security forces arrested seven suspects, the army said.
“This was a large-scale brigade- wide operation,” a security source told The Jerusalem Post. “It took a number of weeks to prepare, based on intelligence-gathering.”
Security forces received intelligence on the location of arms caches and ammunition.
“This was designed as preventative action to thwart future terrorism,” the source added. “We held a similar operation in June in Nablus.”
Units focused on the Old City of Nablus, and were met with little resistance.
The operation served as a reminder of the absence of “no-go zones for the IDF.
This helps us consolidate our deterrence,” the source added.
The suspects targeted are involved in unorganized terrorism, he continued. They are liable to fire bullets at Israeli traffic on a road, or launch a lone-wolf attack at a junction.
“This is one of the ways we prevent this,” the source said. “It’s important for me to emphasize that this is not a punishment. We came to prevent future terrorist attacks among suspects who have a potential to carry them out.”
Separately, IDF units arrested a Hamas member in Hebron, and two Palestinians suspected of taking part in rioting. They have all been taken for questioning.