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| Israel-Palestine-Jordan |
| Israel probes possible abduction of soldier |
| 2009-08-14 |
| [Al Arabiya Latest] Israeli authorities said on Thursday they were investigating the possible abduction of a soldier in the center of the country, where police put up roadblocks. "It's under investigation," a military spokeswoman said when asked about media reports a soldier may have been abducted near Ben Gurion International Airport. The army later issued a statement that said: "A female soldier said she saw a soldier who was hitch-hiking being forced into a car by two people. We are verifying this rumor." A Palestinian news agency quoted a little-known fighting group, al-Quds Army, claiming it had captured a soldier. But the military insisted however that none of its soldiers were listed as missing. However, police set up dozens of checkpoints on all roads leading to the West Bank, stopping and searching cars, causing long traffic jams across central Israel. The massive security operation launched after the soldier's report highlights Israel's fears of having soldiers kidnapped. Palestinian fighters have in the past abducted soldiers at hitch-hiking stations. From the West Bank city of Bethlehem, the Maan news agency reported it received a statement from al-Quds Army in which the group said it was holding a soldier seized near the airport, Israel's main international gateway. A Palestinian security official said the al-Quds army, while fairly obscure, was believed to have links to the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah, a foe of the Jewish state. The Palestinian security official could not immediately confirm that such a claim of responsibility had been made. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #1 Time for another spanking. |
| Posted by: gorb 2009-08-14 01:05 |