'Bomb-making' factory found in Israel

'Bomb-making' factory found in Israel

The Israeli army has intensified its raids against suspected militants

Israel's security service, Shin Bet, says it has arrested three Israeli Arabs after the discovery of an explosives laboratory - the first to be found inside Israel.

The Shin Bet said in a statement that the three men, from the town of Jaljulya near the West Bank, were detained on suspicion of planning bomb attacks on behalf of the militant Palestinian group, Islamic Jihad.

The group claimed responsibility for Sunday's attack in the Israeli coastal town of Netanya, in which a suicide bomber blew himself up and injured up to 30 people.

However, the three suspects had no connection with the Netanya attack, according to Israeli officials.

Defence attorney Ihab Galgoly told the Reuters news agency that the arrests had been made three weeks ago and that indictments were expected on Thursday.

'Terror' plans

The three men were said to be members of Islamic Jihad, which ran the laboratory, the daily Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported.

Investigators rushed to the scene of the Netanya blast

It said they were suspected of carrying out numerous terror attacks and allegedly planned to assist in infiltrating a suicide bomber into Israel.

Since the beginning of the Palestinian uprising, or intifada, in September 2000, Israeli troops have demolished scores of what they claim are bomb factories in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

But analysts say that while being generally sympathetic to the uprising, Israeli Arabs - who make almost 20% of Israel population - have rarely been involved in militant attacks.

More than 2,000 Palestinians and more than 700 Israelis have been killed since the start of the uprising, according to official figures.