Arab Israeli charged with planning suicide bombings

An Israeli civilian from the northern Arab town of Kabul has been charged with planning a bombing attack, the Shin Bet security agency says.

The suspect is named by the Shin Bet and Israel Police as Mahmoud Hussein Muhammad Bushkar, 37, whose father is a West Bank Palestinian.

Bushkar was recently detained by Border Police officers. The Shin Bet says he told interrogators that he planned to build suicide belts to carry out an attack.

The investigation found that Bushkar “viewed content dealing with the preparation of explosives, purchased equipment and various materials with which he performed several experiments, including the production of a TATP-type explosive and the preparation of a pipe bomb, and later even planned to prepare an explosive belt in order to carry out attacks in Israel,” the security agency and police say.

Authorities say that the suspect unsuccessfully attempted to recruit two others to aid him in carrying out the attack.

The Shin Bet and police investigation found that the suspect was “inspired” by the events of the current war and the 2021 Gaza conflict to carry out the attack.

A handgun and materials to build bombs were seized from his possession, the Shin Bet adds.

An indictment was filed against Bushkar this morning at the Haifa District Court.