Israeli security forces have arrested ten Palestinians speeding on a main highway in a van packed with explosives.
Israeli swat teams surrounded the van after a high speed chase on the main Tel Aviv-Jerusalem highway. In a nearby field, they stripped and handcuffed the Palestinians. Police sappers detonated at least five kilograms of explosives found inside the van.
Israeli authorities have not said where the suspected terrorists were headed. They identified one of the Palestinians as a member of Islamic Jihad which has carried out a string of recent suicide bombings in Israel.
Earlier Tuesday, Israeli authorities, acting on a tip, put Jerusalem on maximum alert. Police in the thousands deployed in the city and erected roadblocks around it.
Police say the Palestinians had entered Israel illegally.
Israel has sealed off the West Bank and most of the Gaza Strip ahead of March 28th elections and the police are on high alert. .
Tuesday, Israel re-opened the Karni crossing so that foodstuffs and other staples can reach Palestinians in the Gaza strip.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
