IDF troops arrest alleged accomplice of terrorist Barkan – report



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IDF troops operating in Shuweika village, in the northern West Bank, arrested a man on Saturday suspected of helping the escaped terrorist who killed two Israelis in the Barkan industrial zone earlier this month. Hadashot TV news reported, citing Palestinian media.

According to Palestinian media reports, security forces surrounded a school under construction in the village, smashed the doors of the building and called on the fugitive terrorist Ashraf Na'alowa to surrender.

According to media reports, soldiers fired tear gas at Palestinians in the area, possibly in response to riots.

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The IDF confirmed that they had operated in the village but would not give more details.

Soldiers swept the area on Thursday and hung posters in nearby Tulkarem, in the northern West Bank, warning residents not to help the suspected terrorist not to be captured.

???? قوات الاحتلال تحاصر بناية سكنية في ضاحية شويكة بطولكرم وتنشئ سواتر ترابية حولها. pic.twitter.com/0XdEMbREq5

– قناة الأقصى الفضائية (@AqsaTVChannel) October 20, 2018

The army said on the posters that anyone caught red-handed in Na'alowa "will be subject to legal ramifications, including prolonged detention, house demolitions and [work] allowed for themselves and their families. We will not hesitate to punish anyone who will help the suspect.

The IDF also used loudspeakers in the city to call Na'alowa to surrender.

This decision comes after the delivery of a demolition order at the home of Na'alowa's family on Monday. The order was served on his parents, said the Israeli army in a statement.

Ashraf Walid Suleiman Na'alowa, a Palestinian suspected of committing a deadly terrorist attack on 7 October 2018 in the Barkan Industrial Zone in the northern West Bank. (Courtesy).

Na'alowa has been on the run since the badbadination of Kim Levengrond Yehezkel and Ziv Hajbi on October 7 at the Barkan Industrial Zone factory where he was employed. A third Israeli woman, Sara Vaturi, was wounded during the attack.

The day after the shootings, the shooter's relatives publicly appealed to Israeli radio Na'Alowa to surrender to the Israeli authorities.

A Palestinian security official confirmed to The Times of Israel that Palestinian Authority security forces were involved in the search for Na'alowa.

Last week, Na'alowa's sister, Fayrouz, was arrested at her home in Nablus, West Bank, in connection with the manhunt for her brother, the Shin Bet announced. Fayrouz had already been interrogated by Israeli forces, but was released. Na'alowa's brother was arrested the day after the attack.

The Shin Bet refused to say why Fayrouz was arrested. Na'alowa's mother and other sisters were also arrested and brought for interrogation as a result of the attack, but were later released.

Officials believe that Na'alowa, who would have left a suicide note before the attack, is preparing to engage troops when he approaches him in a shootout that could become deadly.

The army opened an investigation into the attack to determine, among other things, how the gun had been smuggled into the industrial park and if the terrorist was planning to take hostage Levengrond Yehezkel after being tied hands with a tie before killing her.

Kim Levengrond Yehezkel, 29 years old (left), and Ziv Hajbi, 35, who were killed in a terrorist shooting in the Barkan industrial estate in the West Bank, October 7, 2018 (screenshots: Facebook)

Levengrond Yehezkel was secretary while Hajbi worked in accounting at the Alon Group factory in the industrial park. Na'alowa worked there as an electrician.

The army said Na'alowa had no history of terrorist activity and was not linked to any terrorist group, although many of them applauded his actions.

Jacob Magid and Judah Ari Gross contributed to this report.

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