5 yrs. for Mideast jailbreak

An Israeli court on Sunday sentenced six Palestinian inmates to five years in prison for tunneling out of their cell last year and escaping from a high-security facility in the biggest prison break of its kind in decades.

The jailbreak sparked a massive manhunt for the men, members of Palestinian militant groups, in the country’s north and the occupied West Bank. They were recaptured days later.

The bold escape dominated newscasts, sparked heavy criticism of Israel’s prison system and prompted the government to launch an inquiry. According to reports, the men dug a tunnel through the floor of their shared cell over several months and slipped past a sleeping guard after emerging through a hole outside the facility.

The five years will be added to their sentences.