Israel beefs up security for Yom Kippur

JERUSALEM, Oct. 8 (UPI) -- Israeli security forces have been put on alert, investigating nearly a dozen suspected terrorism threats ahead of Yom Kippur, officials said Wednesday.

Troops were deployed to major cities, traffic from East Jerusalem was blocked and security was being beefed up around potential terrorism targets both in Israel and abroad, Ynetnews.com reported.

The Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur begins at sundown Wednesday.

Unnamed security sources told the Web site they're investigating specific threats of kidnappings, rocket attacks and bombings, as well and keeping track of dozens of more general alerts.

Police sources said they were deploying large forces in Israeli markets, synagogues and cemeteries, due to the large number of memorial services at military cemeteries for casualties of the 1973 Yom Kippur War with Egypt and Syria.