Police arrest 5 allegedly on their way to commit murder in northern Arab village

Police on Saturday evening arrested five people — some of them armed — who were allegedly on their way to commit a murder in northern Israel.

The five are suspected of plotting a killing in the Arab village of Bi’ina.

Law enforcement officials said the suspects were apparently targeting the relatives or affiliates of 10 people arrested Thursday over an attempted car bombing.

Three of the suspects were arrested while traveling in a stolen vehicle in northern Israel, police said. The two passengers — masked and wearing gloves — were allegedly armed with an AK-type assault rifle and an FN pistol “with a bullet in the chamber.”

Police said they believe the suspects planned to set the car on fire after the allegedly planned murder.

The driver of an apparent getaway vehicle was also arrested after a brief chase and the fifth suspect was arrested at his home, police added.

According to police, all five suspects are relatives of a man who was the target of an attempted car bombing attack on Thursday. They were to be brought before a court later Saturday for a remand hearing.

On Thursday, police said they foiled an attack “moments before a powerful bomb went off” under a car in northern Israel, saving the lives of three people, including a 14-year-old boy.

Officers who were tracking the car — which police said belonged to “known criminals” — noticed the suspicious activity of a rival gang in the area, law enforcement officials said.

The officers decided to halt the car before it entered a less populated area, fearing the rival gang had planted explosives. Police said the bomb found under the car below the driver’s seat would have severely hurt passersby, due to its size.

Officers also found a GPS tracking device that was planted in the car.

Five suspects in two vehicles nearby were arrested after a brief chase, police said.

Another five were arrested at the gang’s apartment, where officers said they found a drone, advanced surveillance equipment, means to remotely detonate the bomb, and several assault rifles.

Northern District Police Chief Shimon Lavi praised the officers, saying “the vehicle could have exploded at any moment.”

On Saturday, Lavi said his district was “pouncing on armed criminals,” adding that “these criminals must be put behind bars for many years.”

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett hailed police for the “excellent work” following Saturday’s arrests.

“We are fighting crime in Arab society,” he wrote on Twitter.

Arab Israeli communities have seen a surge in violence in recent years, driven mainly, but not exclusively, by organized crime.

Arab Israelis blame police, who they say have failed to crack down on powerful criminal organizations and largely ignore the violence, which includes family feuds, mafia turf wars and violence against women.

The Abraham Initiatives, which monitors and campaigns against violence in the Arab community, said there were 125 Arabs killed in Israel in 2021 as a result of violence and crime, of whom 62 were below the age of 30. So far this year, there have been 14 apparent homicides in the Arab community.

Bennett and Public Security Minister Omer Barlev have vowed to crack down on the violence, as well as on illegal weapons.