Nahariya terror suspect was not planning attack

A police investigation has concluded that an Arab woman arrested Monday evening after a manhunt along Israel’s northern coast was not planning to carry out a terror attack.

“Security officials have determined that the suspect did not in fact intend to carry out a terrorist or criminal attack,” read a police statement Tuesday morning.

“The woman was released after interrogation,” the statement added.

The female suspect, 28, from the northern Israeli town of Taibe, was arrested by police after a manhunt that put the country’s northern coast on edge Monday evening. She was apprehended as she rode in a taxi on Trumpeldor Street in the city of Nahariya.

Sappers examined the woman to make certain she was not wearing explosives after police received a tip that she purportedly had claimed to be planning to carry out a terror attack in the city. She was not found to be carrying any kind of weapon.

Police said the search was initiated due to a “security warning,” without giving any further details.

Roadblocks were set up on highways along the Mediterranean coast in the Nahariya area until the suspect was located.

On Monday morning, a similar warning that a Palestinian woman was planning to carry out an attack in the south of the country prompted police to set up roadblocks and search for the suspect.

Eventually it became clear the suspect had not crossed the Green Line from the West Bank into the south of Israel and the search was called off.

Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.