Tel Aviv - Israeli police have arrested two Arab Israelis suspected of delivering sensitive information to al-Qaeda, the first time Israel has accused two of its own citizens of working for the terrorist network, the Shin Bet internal security organization said Wednesday.

The two, Taher Abu Sakut and Omar Abu Sakut, are Bedouins from the southern Israeli of town of Rahat, in the Negev desert east of the Gaza Strip and near the city of Beersheba.

They were arrested by police in late May and early June and interrogated by the Shin Bet.

A government statement said they had come into contact with al- Qaeda via the internet.

According to the statement, Abu Sakut, the main defendant, drew closer to extremist Islam during 2006, after becoming more religious and a joining the Islamic Movement in his hometown.

The Islamic Movement is a party with strong representation in many Arab Israeli towns, where it takes part in municipal elections. Unlike other, more mainstream Arab-Israeli parties, however, it is not represented in the Israeli parliament, because the movement does not recognize Israel and refuses to take part in parliamentary elections.

According to the Shin Bet, Abu Sakut began in 2006 to call up internet sites identified with al-Qaeda and Global Jihad, which call for the destruction of Israel.

He then allegedly agreed to join the organization, and transferred information to the network on Israeli army bases, strategic installations and crowded places that could be suitable locations for attacks.

Among others, the accused directed al-Qaeda to the Azrieli Towers - a key office complex and shopping mall in central Tel Aviv. He also pointed them to Israel's Ben-Gurion International Airport, and to areas from where to infiltrate into Israel via the West Bank.

In one of their exchanges, Taher asked the Global Jihad to put him in contact with fighters from Iraq and Saudi Arabia, so as to carry out an attack against Israelis.

Israeli prosecutors filed an indictment against the two on Wednesday, accusing both of "serious crimes," including membership in a terrorist organization, aiding the enemy in wartime and delivering information to the enemy with the aim of harming state security.

Although the network is said to have operatives in the Gaza Strip, thus far, there had been no reports of al-Qaeda activity within Israel. (dpa)