Jenin Suspects Charged Over Rocket Tests and Production

Six men in their 30s face criminal charges for building a rocket launch capability in the Jenin area. The indictment was filed on Tuesday morning after a joint investigation by police and security agents concluded that the group developed infrastructure to fire projectiles at Israel and its security forces. All six suspects are residents of the Jenin district and were detained during arrests conducted in recent months.

The probe was led by the counterterrorism division of Israel Police in the Judea and Samaria District, working alongside the Shin Bet security agency. Investigators questioned the men and seized physical evidence that linked them to the cell. The prosecution argued that the group did not just plan attacks but actively built and tested the hardware needed to carry them out.

Evidence from the inquiry showed that the cell manufactured a rocket body and several explosive devices. They conducted three test launches to verify the weapons' power and range. One suspect told investigators that the initial tests were successful. He described a cycle of work where members reviewed the outcome of each launch, made adjustments to the rockets, and ran additional trials to improve their capabilities.

A second suspect admitted to sourcing materials for the group. He described helping to acquire explosives and selling weapons to other members. Investigators believe the items sold to the group were among the gear recovered when the suspects were taken into custody. This testimony helped explain how the cell obtained the specific components needed for their manufacturing process.

The investigation also uncovered external coordination. The main suspect maintained contact with an individual outside Israel via a messaging application. That person provided specific information about the materials required to manufacture explosives. The digital communication provided a link between the local cell and outside knowledge of the production process.

During the operation, security forces seized an M16 rifle and an RPG component. They also collected other weapons and a set of documents. These papers included instructional materials that offered guidance on producing both explosives and rockets. The physical recovery of these items served as the core of the material evidence presented in the prosecutor's declaration.