Six Men Indicted Over Jenin Rocket Cell
Prosecutors accuse a group in the Jenin area of building launch infrastructure and conducting three test firings against Israel.
By Alina Carter ·
Israel's prosecutors charged six men on Tuesday with developing rocket production capabilities in the Jenin area. The indictment marks the conclusion of a joint investigation by police and intelligence services into a suspected terrorist cell.
All six suspects are residents of the Jenin region and are in their 30s. Authorities arrested them over the past several months. The case centers on allegations that the group built infrastructure to manufacture rockets and explosive devices for use against Israeli security forces.
Investigators from the Judea and Samaria District Central Unit and the Shin Bet security agency conducted the probe. The team questioned the suspects and seized weapons linked to the cell. The legal filing states the group produced a rocket body and multiple explosive devices.
The cell carried out three test launches of their rockets. One suspect admitted to investigators that he helped establish the network. He told authorities that the test firings produced successful results regarding the weapons' power and range. He described a cycle where the group analyzed launch data, adjusted the rockets, and conducted further trials to improve performance.
A second suspect confessed to assisting the group in acquiring explosives and selling weapons to other members. Investigators believe the weapons sold through this channel were among the items recovered during the arrests. This testimony provided evidence on how the group sourced its supply chain.
The inquiry identified a main suspect who communicated with a contact outside Israel. Through a messaging app, the foreign individual provided information on materials needed to produce explosives. This external link suggests the cell relied on outside knowledge for their manufacturing process.
Security forces recovered an M16 rifle and a component from a rocket-propelled grenade during the operation. They also seized other weapons, documents, and instructional guides. These materials contained detailed guidance on the production of rockets and explosives.
