Package bomb prompts nat’l mail freeze

Woman notices wiring sticking out of package at Migdal Haemek post office.

By BEN HARTMAN
National police headquarters issued an order to cease the delivery of mail throughout Israel on Monday, following the discovery of what is believed to be an explosive package near a post office in Migdal Haemek in northern Israel.
A strict gag order has been placed on nearly all details of the case, but police did say Monday that citizens are advised to exercise great caution when receiving any mail throughout the day.
A police spokesperson told The Jerusalem Post Monday that a 35-year-old woman received a package from a Migdal Ha’emek post office and when she opened it saw something that raised her suspicions.
The area was shut off to traffic and passersby and police sappers came and neutralized the package. The spokesman said the issue of whether or not the package, which was sent from inside Israel, contained a legitimate explosive device is still under the gag order.
The spokesman said police are still trying to determine whether or not the package was sent for criminal purposes or constitutes an act of terrorism.
In a related incident, a suspicious object was discovered in a post office in a Be’er Sheba mall. Police sappers rushed to the scene, and the entire complex was evacuated. However, the object turned out to be harmless, and the mall returned to its routine. The police spokesman said the seriousness with which the package was taken illustrates the gravity with which police are investigating the matter.
Police issued a statement Monday afternoon instructing the public onhow to spot a suspicious package. Signs to look out for included if theidentity or address of the sender of the envelope is unknown, if theenvelope is disproportionately heavy for its size, and if it looks likeit contains suspicious items including electric wires or a mechanicaldevice.
The statement instructed the public that if they receive a suspiciouspack age to under no circumstances open it and to call policeimmediately.