The State Attorney’s Office has filed an indictment with the Jerusalem District Court against Muhammad Sarha, a 31-year-old Jerusalem resident, on charges of contacting a Hezbollah operative and illegally possessing weapons, Israel Police announced on Monday.
The prosecution has requested the court to order the defendant’s detention until the conclusion of legal proceedings.
The indictment, submitted by Attorney Puah Ben-Tov from the Jerusalem District Attorney’s Office, alleges that Sarha established contact with a member of Hezbollah.
He is accused of providing the contact with information about the legal proceedings of two associates who were arrested on suspicion of involvement in terrorist activities. This included updates on their hearing dates and sharing related news articles.
Further details in the indictment state that during a visit to Jenin, Sarha was in possession of an M-16 assault rifle and a handgun. He allegedly posed for photographs with the weapons, all without legal permits.
The charges against Sarha include contact with a foreign agent, providing information to the enemy, and attempted unlawful possession of weapons.
Further arrests in West Bank
separately, three east Jerusalem residents were arrested early Thursday morning on suspicion of possessing weapons, Molotov cocktails, and substances suspected to be dangerous drugs. The arrests were made during a coordinated operation by the Jerusalem District Police and Border Police forces.
The operation, led by the Shalem Police Station in cooperation with Border Police units, officer cadets, and the Jerusalem Border Police K9 Unit, focused on homes in the Ras el-Amud neighborhood. During the searches, officers apprehended the suspects and discovered a significant cache of illegal items.
The seized items included four Airsoft pistols, an Airsoft rifle resembling an M16, several Molotov cocktails ready for use, over NIS 85,000 in cash, and quantities of suspected drugs far exceeding personal use. The substances were detected by a police dog and were concealed in suitcases within one of the homes.
The suspects were taken into custody and transferred to the Shalem Police Station for questioning. They are scheduled to appear in court later Thursday, where police will request an extension of their detention to facilitate further investigation.