An Arab Israeli man from Taybeh faces terror charges after he allegedly plotted to kidnap a soldier, with the goal of using him as a bargaining chip to force Israel to end the Gaza war.
Prosecutors indict the 22-year-old defendant, Amin Hassan Abdelqader Azzam, after he apparently tried to recruit others earlier this summer to assist him in the kidnapping attempt.
He had also been trying to obtain a weapon from a friend of his who encouraged him to follow through with the plan, and promised to procure a pistol or shotgun for him, according to the indictment filed today.
He had apparently sought religious permission to carry out his plan and posed the question to another associate, who told him that it was forbidden to take women and children hostage but permissible to do so with a soldier, further strengthening his resolve.
He was involved in online Hamas circles and practiced shooting with a paintball gun in order to prepare himself for combat. He also placed several orders online for walkie-talkies and a tactical vest to carry ammunition magazines, prosecutors say.
The defendant is charged in the Lod District Court with preparing to commit the terrorist act of kidnapping for the purpose of murder or extortion.
Help us report truthfully on social media
As a multimedia journalist, my job is to take the quality, fact-based journalism produced by The Times of Israel newsroom and make it accessible across every platform — from Instagram posts to podcasts to short-form videos.
This is how many, especially young people, consume news these days. But misinformation is rampant on social media. Our team at ToI produces accurate, responsible short-form reporting on Israel and the Jewish world.
If you believe in the importance of factual social media journalism, please consider joining our reader support group, The Times of Israel Community. Your financial support is essential to sustain responsible multimedia reporting.
— Gabriella Jacobs, multimedia journalist
Support our work
Support our work
Already a member? Sign in to stop seeing this
You're a dedicated reader
We’re really pleased that you’ve read X Times of Israel articles in the past month.
That’s why we started the Times of Israel - to provide discerning readers like you with must-read coverage of Israel and the Jewish world.
So now we have a request. Unlike other news outlets, we haven’t put up a paywall. But as the journalism we do is costly, we invite readers for whom The Times of Israel has become important to help support our work by joining The Times of Israel Community.
For as little as $6 a month you can help support our quality journalism while enjoying The Times of Israel AD-FREE, as well as accessing exclusive content available only to Times of Israel Community members.
Thank you,
David Horovitz, Founding Editor of The Times of Israel
Join Our Community
Join Our Community
Already a member? Sign in to stop seeing this
From 
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on Google
