Palestinian police broke up a bomb factory in the West Bank town of Nablus, confiscating explosives and arresting four people, security officials told AFP on Wednesday.
Palestinian police said they raided the plant five days ago, seizing an unspecified amount of explosive devices.
Police had arrested three of the people associated with the factory two weeks ago and captured the fourth during the raid.
Those arrested were from the town of Asira al-Shemeliya, four kilometers (2.5 miles) north of Nablus, a security official said.
Asira residents told AFP that those arrested were known to be members of the Islamic militant group Hamas and that they had been detained by police six months ago.
Israeli newspaper Yediot Aharonot said Tuesday that Palestinian police seized tons of chemicals in Nablus, sufficient to make hundreds of kilograms (pounds) of explosives, calling it "one of the largest explosives labs uncovered in recent years."
The newspaper said those arrested operated in a ring commanded by Mahmud Abu Hanud, the most-wanted Hamas militant in the West Bank.
Abu Hanud, who also hails from Asira al-Shemeliya, is wanted by police for his alleged role in twin bomb attacks in Jerusalem in 1998 - NABLUS (AFP)
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