4 Jan 2011

Embassy staff held in connection terror plot

12:03 pm on 4 January 2011

Police in Israel have arrested two Palestinians working for the British consulate in Jerusalem in connection with a terror plot.

The pair are suspected of involvement in a planned rocket attack on a sports stadium.

They are accused of trying to buy weapons for two others behind a plot to attack Teddy Stadium, the home of the Beitar Jerusalem football team.

However, no rockets were found and police say the plot was in its preliminary stages.

Foreign Office says the arrests of the embassy employees happened several weeks ago.

However, the BBC says the incident will raise concern about vetting procedures at the consulate.

Other arrests

The Shin bet security service says two other men were charged on Sunday with being members of a terrorist organisation, illegal use of weapons and planning an attack. They were arrested in November.