Police officers charged with trafficking weapons, accused of abusing position

Three policemen and a fourth individual were indicted Thursday for weapons trafficking offenses at the Haifa District Court.

The four, residents of the northern town of Kafr Manda, are accused of purchasing and stocking arms and making plans to sell them.

They are Mousa Murad, 33, a logistics officer in the Police Studies Center; his brother Ahmad Murad, 20, an officer in the Border Police; Jamil Abd al-Halim, 21, an officer in the Border Police; and Imad Abdullah, 28.

Two of the defendants are accused of abusing their positions in the police force and their access to weapons and ammunition.

Authorities have requested that the men be remanded till the end of proceedings.

In recent months police said they have increased enforcement activity against possession and use of illegal weaponry to combat serious incidents of violence in the Arab community.