Palestinian arrested on suspicion of trying to join ISIS, carry out attack
Suspect, 22, traveled to Turkey and unnamed states in Africa, hoping to receive training for terrorism
A Palestinian man is set to be charged with attempting to join the Islamic State terror group in hopes of carrying out an attack, the Israel Police and Shin Bet said in a joint statement on Thursday.
The suspect, 22, was arrested at his home in Sawahera on May 6. He has been ordered to remain in custody until at least June 2.
According to law enforcement, during the interrogation “it emerged that the suspect supports Islamic State [and] recently tried to join the terror group’s ranks.”
Authorities said the suspect was in contact with Islamic State representatives abroad, traveled to Turkey and Africa, and hoped to receive training and guidance on carrying out an attack.
An indictment is set to be filed in the coming days, the statement said.
It was the latest in a number of announcements this year of ISIS-related arrests, most of which have involved young men from neighborhoods in East Jerusalem.
In April, security forces said they had foiled a plot by three East Jerusalem men who had sworn allegiance to ISIS and planned to carry out attacks at Jerusalem’s Teddy Stadium and a local police office, two of whom intended to travel abroad to Syria or Iraq for training.
Another East Jerusalem resident, also in his 20s, was later arrested on suspicion of being involved in that plot.
In January, police announced that they’d arrested two suspects, aged 23 and 21, on suspicion of plans to carry out bombing attacks in Jerusalem, in support of ISIS.
Then, later that month, police said they had arrested two more East Jerusalem residents, 19 and 20, who planned to carry out bombing attacks near the Knesset and had purchased chemicals to make explosives.
Israel has seen a number of ISIS-connected terror attacks in recent years, prompting a crackdown in 2022 after a pair of attacks that killed six people.