Jerusalem police Wednesday arrested two men suspected of vandalizing the city's Israel Defense Forces memorial Tuesday, the day of Tisha Be'av on which Jews lament the destruction of the Temple.

The men, aged 55 and 58, admitted to committing the crime, but offered no explanation for their actions. They told police they intend to write a letter of apology to the families of those commemorated by the monument.

While searching the suspects' homes, police found posters bearing swastikas and threats to Israel's Supreme Court, identified as identical to those which were posted on the Katamon neighborhood memorial Tuesday.

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Community center activists discovered the posters and threats on the memorial which commemorates some 270 local residents who died fighting in Israel's wars.

Activists filed a complaint with police who opened an investigation into the incident.

"It is shocking and disturbing that such a thing should happen on Tisha Be'av, a day marked by soul-searching over baseless hatred," community center director Avi Nuriel said.

According to Jewish tradition, the Second Temple was destroyed in the Jewish Revolt against the Romans because of the sin of 'baseless hatred' manifested in internecine fighting among rival Jewish factions.

Jerusalem Mayor Uri Lupilianski said that the war memorial defacement during Tisha Be'av is sad proof that baseless hatred still exists.