Six young Nazareth residents were arrested by detectives and the internal security department known as the 'Shin Bet' on the suspicion that they were planning to carry out terrorist activities on behalf of the Islamic State (ISIS) within the borders of Israel. In the joint investigation, the police and the Shin Bet found evidence that the six intended to carry out hostile activities.
In the investigation of the events by the Shin Bet, it was found that the suspects consumed ISIS content online, in a way that led to a deep identification and ultimately indoctrination into the terrorist organization. At a certain point, a decision to carry out an attack in the name of ISIS was made.
It was also revealed by the Shin Bet that the suspects met secretly to plan attacks, with the main target being a Muslim high school in Nazareth, which, according to the suspects, "operates in the way of the 'infidels'." In other words, the activists planned to damage an educational institution, where innocent Muslim teenagers study and educators work, simply because the terrorists believed the Israeli-Arab school was too moderate.
Shin Bet & @israelpolice announced that they arrested 6 alleged members of #ISIS in Nazareth, #Israel who plotted to attack a Muslim school. Terrorism harms not only Jews in Israel, but non-Jews, including Muslim-Arabs.#StandAgainstTerror
— StandWithUs (@StandWithUs) October 2, 2022
For more: https://t.co/QENemMDKr6 pic.twitter.com/jQ9t0ZZ4Jb
The investigation revealed that the suspects worked to locate targets for other attacks, such as a busy bus station in a city in the north of the country, a police station in the vicinity of their residences, hiking trails popular with Israelis, and other places where the population is concentrated. In addition, it was revealed that they worked to obtain weapons and tried to recruit more in order to promote their radical activities.
The Shin Bet and the police estimate that the arrest is a significant countermeasure that sheds light on the influence of the terrorist organization ISIS in Israel, which has thus far inspired attacks in Beer Sheva, Hadera, and Jerusalem in the past.
Shin Bet & @israelpolice announced that they arrested 6 alleged members of #ISIS in Nazareth, #Israel who plotted to attack a Muslim school. Terrorism harms not only Jews in Israel, but non-Jews, including Muslim-Arabs.#StandAgainstTerror
— StandWithUs (@StandWithUs) October 2, 2022
For more: https://t.co/QENemMDKr6 pic.twitter.com/jQ9t0ZZ4Jb
"The terrorist organization continues to work tirelessly to spread its ideology among the citizens of the State of Israel and its residents. It works to recruit them through propaganda distributed on the Internet, including on social networks, with the aim of promoting terrorist activity in Israel," said the Shin Bet and the police in a joint statement.
At the end of the investigations at the Shin Bet, Indictments were filed against the six cell members by the North District Attorney's Office, charging them with the offenses of conspiracy to commit terrorism, preparation for a terrorist act, conspiracy to trade in illegal weapons, and membership in a terrorist organization.
CAPTURED: ISIS cell in northern Israel planned to blow up Arab school | World Israel News https://t.co/DdyD46BqiL
— Just plain ASTUTE. (@MikeXcaberate) October 4, 2022
Israel’s Internal Security Minister Amir Bar-Lev said: "Praise and recognition to the General Security Service and the Central Unit of the Northern District of the Israel Police, for a significant and successful thwarting of the ISIS terrorist cell that planned to carry out a series of attacks in Israel, both against Arabs and Jews. The fight against terrorism and unrestrained terrorists is a daily concern and requires sophistication, creativity, and determination along with combining arms and cooperation between the security forces. Even in thwarting this cell, the importance of the Israel Police at the forefront of the fight against terrorism, and its decisive contribution to the security of the State of Israel and the security of its citizens, were proven."
