Jerusalem Police Arrest Suspect at Ben Gurion Airport Over Massive Weapons Cache
Jerusalem district police arrested a man in his twenties early Sunday morning at Ben Gurion Airport, shortly after he disembarked from a flight. The suspect is the primary individual linked to a large cache of weapons and explosives uncovered over the weekend inside a residential building in Jerusalem. Police detectives, who had been surveilling the suspect, confronted him in the jet bridge connecting the plane to the terminal. Body camera footage shows officers presenting the arrest warrant and informing him of charges including illegal possession of weapons, possession of key weapon parts, and ammunition possession. The suspect remained silent and was taken directly to Moriah police station for urgent interrogation.
The arrest follows a dramatic raid by Jerusalem police and Border Police dog handlers in a shared residential building, where officers found an alarming stockpile of lethal arms and explosives hidden in children’s rooms and play areas. Seized items included 36 grenades (18 of which were stun grenades), explosive charges, an AK-47 assault rifle, a hunting rifle, telescopic sights, extensive combat gear, and large quantities of ammunition including linked rounds and advanced bomb-making components. Police described the haul as a "war booty" suspected to have been stolen from IDF units or smuggled from conflict zones in southern and northern Israel.
Authorities stressed the extreme danger posed by storing such volatile materials in a densely populated civilian environment, putting residents unknowingly at risk. Investigators from Moriah station conducted covert surveillance throughout the weekend and moved quickly once they learned of the suspect’s return from abroad. The police intend to present him to the court later Sunday to request an extension of his detention for further investigation.
This case highlights ongoing concerns about illegal arms trafficking and potential terrorist or criminal use of stolen military-grade weapons within Israeli cities.
